HOUSTON - The Houston Public Library (HPL) is offering qualified library customers the opportunity to earn an accredited high school diploma and credentialed career certificate through Career Online High School, a free program offered by Gale, a Cengage company. Part of the world’s first accredited, private online school district, Career Online High School is specifically designed to reengage adults into the education system and prepare them for entry into post-secondary career education or the workforce. This is not a GED program!

Customers can learn more about Career Online High School, and eligibility requirements by visiting cafécollege Houston at 1050 Quitman, 77009, www,houstonlibrary.org/cafecollegehouston, or calling 832-393-1737.

HPL will award scholarships for the Career Online High School program to qualified library customers 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 assists with developing an individual career plan, 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. Students are able to graduate in as few as six months by transferring in previously earned high school credits but are given up to 18 months to complete the program.

“We’re delighted to partner with the Houston Public Library to offer Career Online High School and give residents access to education and the potential to change their lives,” said Paul Gazzolo, senior vice president and general manager for Gale.

“The Houston Public Library is very excited to be a part of this collaboration to bring Career Online High School program to Texas,” states Dr. Rhea Brown Lawson, Director of the Houston Public Library. “We continuously strive to provide the necessary tools to help our community achieve success in their lives. Enabling adults to earn their high school diploma opens them to so many new doors of opportunity that otherwise would have been permanently closed. This resource will benefit our community beyond compare.”

Applicants are required to complete a self-assessment and then a two-week prerequisite course. After they have successfully finished the self-assessment and the prerequisite course, they will be invited to an in-person interview. After the interview, the application will be reviewed to see if the applicant qualifies for a scholarship award to attend Career Online High School. HPL will award 15 scholarships for the Career Online High School throughout the year.

The Career Online High School program will be piloted through HPL’s cafécollege Houston. cafécollege Houston is a premier college and career resource center housed at the Houston Public Library’s Carnegie Neighborhood Library & Center for Learning in Houston’s near Northside neighborhood. cafécollege Houston’s services are free to students and adult learners, including those referred by the juvenile justice system who are seeking a second chance in life and include college application assistance, financial aid guidance and FAFSA assistance, TASFA assistance, scholarship search, career exploration and planning, workshops on academic excellence and leadership, and much more. Launched in December 2016, cafécollege Houston has seen over 8,000 visitors. The offering of this resource aligns with HPL’s core service priorities of support for the success of students of all ages and life stages and helping to prepare Houstonians for work.