For some students, earning a high school diploma is a long-awaited milestone. For others, it is the first step toward college, career training or a new professional opportunity. At Davis Adult Education, students find individualized support and flexible pathways to help them move forward.
The program serves adult learners working toward high school completion, strengthening English language skills and preparing for further education and careers. Students bring different goals and life experiences, and teachers work to help each person identify a path that fits their needs.
“ We are really good at transitioning students into further training,” said Erin Clark, director of Davis Adult Education. “We tell them a diploma is just one step and ask them to think through what they would like to do next. That's built into the program. So we transition them to Davis Tech or other career training.”
That connection between education and future opportunity was part of a recent visit from U.S. Secretary of Education Linda McMahon. Recommended for a visit by the Utah State Board of Education, Davis Adult Education welcomed McMahon for a tour and conversations with students, teachers and staff about their experiences and the work happening in the program.
“The visit offered an opportunity to show how adult education can help students move beyond the classroom and toward career preparation, family stability and a living wage,” Clark said. “Federal funding supports the teachers and programs that make these opportunities possible.”
For teacher Amy Madsen, the impact is often seen in the confidence students gain as they work toward a goal that may once have felt out of reach.
“Beautiful things happen here. I mean, you honestly are changing the course of some of these people's lives. I mean, to get a diploma or not have a diploma, I mean to be able to check that box on a resume and to have that confidence. I mean, that's a game changer,” Madsen said.
The impact can continue long after graduation. Davis Adult Education graduates have gone on to pursue technical training, university degrees and careers in fields ranging from health care to advanced manufacturing. Their experiences show how education can create opportunities not only for individual students but also for their families and communities.
Davis Adult Education was recognized by the Davis School District Board in 2025 with Best Overall Program and Highest Measurable Gains in the State honors. The program was also named Overall Program of the Year by the Utah State Board of Education in 2024.
McMahon’s visit highlighted the work taking place at Davis Adult Education, but the heart of the program is its students and the educators who support them. Whether students are earning a diploma, learning English or preparing for their next career step, the program helps them build on their experiences and work toward a future they choose.