Kansas City Public Library cardholders living in the Library’s service area can now earn a high school diploma at no cost through Excel Adult High School, a self-paced, virtual education completion program.

Applicants must:

• Be 19 years of age or older.
• Have successfully finished eighth grade.
• Fill out the online application.
• Score 70% or higher in a two-week long prerequisite course.
• Participate in a short interview.

Wendy Pearson, the Library’s strategic initiatives manager, says she hopes the entrance requirements don’t sound daunting.

“Online classes do not suit the academic style of every student, and we want participants to be set up for success,” she says. “We hope the steps in the process act as a safeguard so that students know they’re prepared to do well.”

The Library has students’ backs in other ways:

• Tech To Go will check out computers and hotspots to anyone who needs tech access.
• Excel courses are available in multiple languages.
• All students enrolled in Excel will be assigned an academic coach.
• All students enrolled in the program have access to an online tutor.

Once a student has been accepted, the portal will be unlocked, and the student will have two years to complete the modules. Previously earned credits from high schools, home schools, and passed portions of the GED (General Educational Development) Test, HiSET (High School Equivalency Test), and TASC (Test Assessing Secondary Completion) can be transferred into Excel.

“One of the reasons we’re pleased to offer Excel to our patrons is that it allows them to receive an official high school diploma from an accredited high school rather than a graduate equivalency degree,” Pearson says.

Another exciting feature of the program is that students can rack up as many as seven ACE (American Council on Education) courses, earning up to 21 college credits (three per course). Students taking ACE courses receive both high school and college credit. A student must complete the ACE course with a passing grade of 70% or higher. Please see the FAQ page for more details.

“Graduates will even have the opportunity to participate in a graduation ceremony,” Pearson says. “Our patrons have many reasons they may not have graduated from high school, and now they’ll have a chance to walk across the stage in front of family and friends.”

The location of graduation ceremonies varies. They’ll be conducted by one of the three partner organizations: the Kansas City Public Library, Mid-Continent Public Library, or Literacy KC.