ARLINGTON, Texas/PRNewswire/ — Workforce solutions provider Ancora has developed a new relationship with McGraw Hill to launch Ancora High School. The flexible, individualized, 100% online learning experience is open to learners aged 18 or over who have completed Grade 9. Students can apply on a rolling basis throughout the year and take courses on their own schedule. Ancora High School is an online high school that offers a Texas High School Diploma and is accredited by Cognia™.
In 2020, according to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), the high school dropout rate was 5.3% among people aged 16 to 24, which means that about two million people from this age group had not obtained a diploma and were not enrolled in high school. The economic consequences of not receiving a high school diploma or alternative credentials like a GED are significant for the individual and society. For example, according to a separate NCES report, the median annual income of full-time workers aged 25 to 34 who had not completed high school was $26,000, compared to $32,000 per year for those with the highest level of education was high school completion. Additionally, the average school dropout costs the economy approximately $272,000 over their lifetime in terms of reduced tax assessments, increased use of Medicaid and Medicare, higher rates of criminal activity, and increased use of ‘welfare.
“In line with our priority of preparing students for further education or entering the workforce, Ancora High School helps lay the foundation for those who need it most,” said Bill Nance, CEO of Ancora. “With approximately 30 million adults without a high school diploma in the United States, we believe that focusing on this important mission will provide communities with the opportunity to develop individuals with knowledge, skills and career potential. ascending. We recognize the positive personal, economic, and community impacts of earning a high school diploma, and are proud to offer this affordable opportunity for busy adults to graduate with flexibility that fits their busy life.
Those who enroll at Ancora High School will complete their classes 100% online through McGraw Hill Connect® and McGraw Hill ALEKS®, two powerful courseware platforms that provide personalized learning experiences and allow students to learn on their own. pace. Students follow a guided, asynchronous course experience, monitored by Course Coaches and Student Success Champions, designed to effectively move students through their courses.
McGraw Hill Connect® is a complete course platform. It helps instructors deliver cohesive learning experiences through structured content and interactivity. When students interact with Connect, their individual needs become clear. This allows the instructor to assign courses that move their students forward on their unique learning path. With Connect, students and instructors enjoy continuous support, inside or outside the classroom.
ALEKS® (Assessment and Learning in Knowledge Spaces) is a lesson assistant used in both primary and higher education that helps instructors identify what students know, don’t know and are ready to learn, and, to from there, to offer personalized practice until they really understand. ALEKS gives instructors the ability to assign homework, share curated content such as videos, review student progress, and provide support anytime, anywhere. To date, ALEKS has helped over 20 million students in thousands of K-12 schools, colleges and universities around the world!
“Through affordable, accessible and effective digital materials, we can work towards a learning environment that leads to better outcomes for all,” Michael Ryan, chair of higher education at McGraw Hill. “At McGraw Hill, we believe in creating opportunities for all learners to succeed and we are proud to partner with Ancora to support a program that can help the millions of adults who have not completed high school to find their unique path to success.”
Students will need a computer and an internet connection to be able to follow the courses. For students who may not have access to these tools and who are near an Ancora Education partner school, access to computer labs is available free of charge.
Additional unique benefits of Ancora High School are course coaches, student success champions, and a technology discount for students. Course coaches will provide instruction, support students with class work, and provide additional tutoring at no additional cost. Student Success Champions are available as an option and can help students develop an academic success plan and maintain motivation throughout their studies. A technology discount program for students is also available through technology partner CDW. Purchases can be made through the Ancora High School Student Portal.
Twenty-two credits in courses including math, English, social studies, science, humanities, and fine arts are required to complete the program. Noteworthy courses include critical thinking and personal financial literacy. In the first course, Critical Thinking, students learn to apply critical thinking to situations in a wide variety of fields such as advertising, politics, media, and popular culture. Students will explore how critical thinking skills are relevant to their daily lives and how images can affect their judgment and shape their thinking. Ancora High School’s Personal Financial Literacy course will teach students to apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to analyze decisions about income and spending, saving and investing, credit and finance. loan, insurance and protection, as well as college and post-secondary education and training. Students will explore conducting cost-benefit analysis for spending and investment decisions, among other financial literacy skills.
“Providing a high-quality educational experience, in a flexible and meaningful way, to a student who has failed to earn a high school diploma in the past, is the fundamental intention of Ancora High School,” said said Andrea Snow, Ancora SVP Academics & Career Services and Chairman of the Ancora High School Board of Trustees. “With a variety of adaptive learning technologies and McGraw Hill’s 21st century educational assets, we have a best-in-class product that will help meet a variety of student, workforce, and employer goals across North America. North and beyond.
Ancora High School has earned accreditation from Cognia™, a nonprofit organization that provides quality assurance to schools, school districts, and educational service providers. Earning accreditation from the Cognia Global Accreditation Commission means the school is accredited and Ancora High School is recognized nationwide as a school that meets Cognia quality standards and maintains a commitment to improvement. keep on going.
Those interested in enrolling in Ancora High School can visit: https://www.ancorahigh.com/. Once the enrollment application is complete, the student will be contacted by an Ancora High School representative to discuss Ancora High School and the adult high school graduation program.
About Ancora High School
Ancora High School was launched in 2022 to provide adult learners with the opportunity to earn a high school diploma in a highly flexible, self-paced, fully online format. Ancora High School has achieved Cognia™ accreditation and has partnered with McGraw Hill to provide courseware platforms that provide personalized learning experiences allowing students to learn at their own pace. Launched to market by Ancora, a leading workforce solutions provider, Ancora High School seeks to inspire and empower students to change their lives through our high school completion opportunities and skills development. Learn more about www.ancorahigh.com.
About McGraw Hill
McGraw Hill is a leading global education company that partners with millions of educators, learners and professionals around the world. Recognizing their diverse needs, we create reliable content, flexible tools and powerful digital platforms to help them succeed on their own terms. Through our commitment to equity, accessibility and inclusion, we foster a culture of belonging that respects and reflects the diversity of the communities, learners and educators we serve. McGraw Hill has more than 40 offices in North America, Asia, Australia, Europe, the Middle East and South America, and makes its learning solutions for PreK–12, higher education, professionals and more available in over 80 languages. Visit us at mheducation.com or find us on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn or Twitter.
About Cognia™
Cognia™ offers accreditation and certification, assessment, professional learning and improvement services to institutions and other training providers. The result of the merger of AdvancED and Measured Progress, Cognia™ was formed to bridge the gap between school assessment and student assessment. As a global non-profit organization working in more than 80 countries, our 36,000 institutions serve and support nearly 25 million students and five million teachers every day. Cognia is a trusted partner in advancing learning for all. Learn more about cognia.org.
eSchool Media staff cover all aspects of education technology, from legislation and litigation to best practices, lessons learned and new products. First published in March 1998 as a monthly print and digital journal, eSchool Media provides the news and information needed to help K-20 decision-makers successfully use technology and innovation to transform schools and colleges and achieve their educational goals.