Adult Secondary Education
Preparing students to finish their secondary education.
Adult High School Program
The Adult High School program is offered cooperatively with a local Public School Unit to offer adults an opportunity to earn an Adult High School (AHS) diploma through a curriculum of instruction that aligns with adult education and literacy activities and other core programs and one-stop partners. The curriculum includes the development of career pathways which provide access to employment and training services for students in the Adult High School program. Course and graduation requirements are in alignment with the standards established by the State Board of Education, the local education agency, and the local community college.
The AHS diploma is issued in cooperation between the local boards of education and community college trustees with appropriate signatures representing both educational systems. Adult High School records and transcripts are maintained and issued by the community college where the AHS diploma was awarded.
Multiple Pathways to High School Equivalency (MPHSE)
The Multiple Pathways to High School Equivalency (MPHSE) Diploma Program was approved by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges to be “…an alternative for earning a high school equivalency diploma…” The objective of this initiative was to research and develop an alternative for earning a high school equivalency diploma through a combination or repackaging of currently established academically valid elements to document achievement of specifically determined content areas rather than by using a single testing instrument or path to completion.
The MPHSE Diploma Program is a standardized performance assessment program for the completion of a high school equivalency diploma. The MPHSE Diploma Program establishes a formalized system to provide students with a clear and flexible conduit toward earning a high school equivalency credential. The student must demonstrate high school-level competencies in the five selected content areas. Once the student has satisfactorily completed all requirements, a high school equivalency diploma will be awarded through the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.
High School Equivalency
The North Carolina High School Equivalency (HSE) Diploma program offers instruction in core subjects like Reading, Science, and Mathematics, preparing you to successfully pass a designated assessment and obtain your HSE degree.
The two nationally-recognized assessments used to obtain a state-issued High School Equivalency credential in North Carolina are GED® and HiSET®. Both High School Equivalency assessments are recognized by the U.S. Department of Education USDOE GEN-14-06 and cover the same content areas. Passing the complete battery of either of the assessments will lead to the same High School Equivalency Diploma issued by the North Carolina State Board of Community Colleges.
HiSET® testing is the only high school equivalency assessment administered at the North Carolina Department Public Safety adult correctional facilities.
Please note that all high school equivalency testing options may not be available at all community colleges and that some restrictions apply.
Minors
Please note that students 16-17 years of age must contact the HSE Chief Examiner at their local community college to request drop-release paperwork to be eligible to take high school equivalency assessments in North Carolina.
