San Francisco Public Library and Gale to Deliver Accredited High School Diplomas to Residents Online
Career Online High School Scholarships Support Local Economic Development
SAN FRANCISCO, June 25, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- As thousands of librarians from across the country descend on San Francisco for the American Library Association annual meeting this weekend, the San Francisco Public Library today announced it is offering residents the opportunity to earn accredited high school diplomas and career certificates through Career Online High School, a groundbreaking program brought to public libraries by Gale. Currently, more than 30,000 San Francisco adults age 25 and over lack a high school degree or equivalent. San Francisco Public Library joins several other innovative libraries throughout California to offer the program, including Los Angeles Public Library, Sacramento Public Library and San Diego Public Library.
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"Being able to offer Career Online High School helps us achieve our goal of rethinking adult literacy in the 21st century in a profound and impactful way," said Luis Herrera, City Librarian, San Francisco Public Library. "For SFPL, the Career Online High School initiative redefines the role of the library as the place for personal growth and learning for individuals most in need."
"Earning a high school diploma can have a life changing effect – graduates earn more, have lower unemployment rates and contribute more to their communities both economically and socially," said Paul Gazzolo, senior vice president and general manager, Gale. "By offering Career Online High School, San Francisco Public Library will make an immediate positive impact in the community, and will support local economic and workforce development."
San Francisco Public Library will award scholarships for Career Online High School to qualified learners looking to earn a high school diploma and advance their careers. Once enrolled, Career Online High School pairs each student with an Academic Coach, who offers ongoing guidance and encouragement, evaluates performance, and connects the learner with the resources needed to demonstrate mastery of the course material. Classes are supported by board-certified instructors and students have 24/7 access to the online learning platform. Coursework begins in one of eight high-growth, high-demand career fields (across a wide spectrum from child care and education to certified transportation), before progressing to the core academic subjects. Many students are able to graduate in as few as 4 to 6 months by transferring in previously earned high school credits.
San Francisco Public Library will launch Career Online High School to the community in August. Interested residents can visit the library's website here to learn more about the enrollment process.
For more information on Career Online High School, please visit http://www.careeronlinehs.gale.com/ or contact Kristina Massari at [email protected]. For more information on the economic impact of high school completion and the benefits of libraries, download the whitepaper here and watch the video here.
About Career Online High School
Career Online High School was developed in 2012 through a partnership by ed2go, a division of Cengage Learning that provides students with online continuing education and career training, and Smart Horizons Career Online Education, in an effort to provide affordable, career-based online education opportunities for the millions of adults in the United States without high school diplomas. In 2014, the program was adapted for the public library market by Gale, also a division of Cengage Learning. Since its launch, Career Online High School has been recognized as part of a Commitment to Action by the Clinton Global Initiative and acknowledged at the White House College Opportunity Summit.
About San Francisco Public Library
The San Francisco Public Library system is dedicated to free and equal access to information, knowledge, independent learning and the joys of reading for our diverse community.
About Cengage Learning and Gale
Cengage Learning is a leading educational content, technology, and services company for the higher education and K-12, professional and library markets worldwide. Gale, a part of Cengage Learning, is a global provider of research resources for libraries and businesses for more than 60 years. Gale is passionate about supporting the continued innovation and evolution of libraries by providing the content, tools, and services libraries need to promote information discovery, enable learning, and support economic, cultural, and intellectual growth in their communities. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.gale.cengage.com.
Media Contact:
Kristina Massari
Cengage Learning
(203) 965-8694
[email protected]
SOURCE Cengage Learning
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