DACC Program Enrollment Increases As Adult Ed Ranking Improves

Doña Ana Community College (DACC) has been seeing an increase in enrollment in its Adult Education Program, just as the state of New Mexico issued data that shows its adult education ranking greatly increased in the nation.

New data, released by the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Career and Technical Education, shows that adult education in New Mexico increased in national rankings from 50th in 2019 to 20th for 2024-2025. This increase coincides with a significant increase in adult education completion and enrollment at DACC. In 2025, the college saw a 161% increase in high school equivalency completion and an increase in enrollment by 62%.

“I think what this data shows is that New Mexicans are focused on completing their journey in higher education,” says Tricia Brainard, director of DACC’s Adult Education Program. “Part of this growth we’re seeing is opportunity; New Mexico now offers free GED and HiSET preparation and testing, and that is giving students a great chance to complete their education, leading to either advanced education or better pay in the workforce.”

In December, more than 50 Doña Ana County residents graduated from the Adult Education program at the college. They successfully obtained their high school equivalency credentials by either passing the GED (General Educational Development test) or HiSET (High School Equivalency Test) in both English and Spanish. “These completion rates and increase in enrollment are definitely a step in the right direction for so many students,” Brainard adds.

The GED test covers four subjects in math, science, social studies and reasoning through language arts. The HiSET covers five subjects from language arts (writing), mathematics, science, social studies and language arts (reading). DACC is an official testing center and offers classes to prepare students for these exams. You must be 16 years or older to attend classes. For more information on the program, go to https://dacc.nmsu.edu/academics/departments/adult-education/index.html or call (575) 527-7540.