ACCEF High School Equivalency Academy (Free)

Program Overview

The birth of the foundation's HSE Program began with a GED curriculum started at the Los Angeles campus of American Career College (ACC) in 2001. The idea: make a direct impact in the lives of non-high school graduates by providing a high quality, no cost GED preparation course and exam testing.

During the next decade and a half, the program expanded under the ACC umbrella to meet growing community demand. This included extending into other Southern California areas, including Orange and San Bernardino counties.

In 2014, the program formally changed from the GED to the current HSE Program. This was done in response to the California Department of Education's adoption of two additional high school equivalency exams, including HiSET® (High School Equivalency Test). To benefit the most students possible, the program was and continues to be solely dedicated
to student preparation for the HiSET® exam.

In 2015, the ACC Educational Foundation took the reins from ACC in a move to further broaden and grow the program into the current HSE Academies model.

Today, our foundation is focused on providing and expanding
educational opportunities for community members in Southern California by continuing to finance the free HSE Academies program. Additionally, we provide separate scholarship and grant support* for underserved residents pursuing higher education and enhanced workforce opportunities.

Cost Info

Student and Volunteer Success Stories

Andrea

A teen mother at age 15, Andrea dropped out of high school
in the 10th grade. After having her baby, she started hanging around the wrong crowd. She began to use drugs and alcohol, which lead to a life in and out of jail. The last time she was out of prison, Andrea became pregnant for the second time. It was then that she learned of a place called Casa Teresa, which
houses homeless pregnant women, and came to the organization for help.

Andrea was accepted to Casa Teresa and began to put her life back together. This included taking courses at a local community college to try to earn her high school diploma. During this journey, Casa Teresa Career and Education
Manager Maria Ayala told her about the Ascensus Foundation and its HSE Academies program designed to help in-need community members achieve their high school equivalency, all at no cost to students. She enrolled and began attending daily two-hour classes at the HSE Academies' Anaheim campus.

Though it had been nearly 15 years since she had been in school, Andrea was committed and began to study. Her instructor, Ivan Barrera, gave her the
encouragement, motivation and real-world tools needed to succeed and pass the HSE test. He gave her the confidence that she could and would achieve her goal. And she did! Andrea successfully passed theHiSET® exam, one of the HSE tests adopted by the state of California. When she passed this exam, she earned her high school equivalency certificate, which is equal to a high school diploma.

But Andrea's story of achievement goes even further. After earning her HSE certificate, she landed a job as an administrative assistant in a medical office. She says her life is now back on track!

"I learned so much about myself and how much I could do and accomplish thanks to Casa Teresa and my experience with the Ascensus Foundation," Andrea said. "I'm in a great place in life and have so much to look forward to."