- April 23, 2024
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Flagler County Public Library is offering the Career Online High School program to adults, 19 and older, who want to earn a career certificate and a high school diploma.
“We are very excited to once again be able to offer this program here in Flagler County,” said Library Director Holly Albanese. “To date, we have had 15 graduates of this program from Flagler County.”
Career Online High School is a private high school diploma and career certification program. It was created by the State of Florida and is administered by Smart Horizons Career Online Education.
It is accredited by Cognia, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, and Northwest Athletic Conference, and should be accepted by many colleges and universities like Daytona State College and the University of Florida. However, admissions requirements are always up to an individual college.
A high school diploma from an accredited school may also provide a professional benefit for those already in the workforce without one.
“This is a great program for people who have a high school certificate of completion, because they will earn an actual diploma when they finish the program,” said County Administrator Heidi Petito. “While both the GED and the high school diploma are important, there are several differences between them. The most significant is that some colleges – or institutions and organizations – may require a high school diploma, and may not accept the GED.”
Applicants must have a Flagler County Public Library Card. Those who have already earned a GED equivalency or a high school diploma do not qualify.
“It doesn’t matter where they started high school – it could have been out of state,” Albanese said. “The number of classes required to complete the program depends on how many credits transfer into the program.”
There is an online assessment and interviews at the library as part of the admissions process. Those accepted into the program can earn one of eight career certifications including: General Career Preparation; Office Management; Child Care and Education* (CDA); Home Care Professional; Security Professional; Food and Hospitality* (CPFM); Commercial Driving* (CDL); Hospitality and Leisure; Retail Customer Service. (*Prepares students to obtain the industry credential.)
“Students will actually complete this step before they start the high school curriculum,” Albanese said. “They will create a career portfolio and have this extra certificate to boost their resume.”
Scholarships are funded through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
“We will definitely have five scholarships come through our Library system, and there is the potential for us to get more,” Albanese said. “We have already had two candidates reach out and apply. This is a great benefit for residents who could use a boost to help them move forward educationally and professionally.”
For more information, go to https://fl.careeronlinehs.org/ or call 855-203-7516.
