SACRAMENTO and FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich. — The California State Library is expanding its partnership with Gale, a Cengage company, signing a three-year agreement to broaden its Career Online High School program, which since 2015 has enabled state public libraries to offer qualified residents the opportunity to earn a free, accredited high school diploma.

Based on the successes experienced by the 46 library jurisdictions currently participating in Career Online High School, the state of California tripled the amount of funding previously invested, allowing the State Library to purchase an additional 2,603 scholarships to sustain and expand the program.

“Investing more funds in this program was an easy decision when you look at the life-changing impact it’s had on residents accomplishing their education and career goals, and how public libraries are making that happen,” said Greg Lucas, California’s State Librarian.

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, nearly 5.3 million Californians age 18 or older do not have a high school diploma or equivalency. Currently, more than 1,000 adults are enrolled in California’s Career Online High School program and over 400 adults have graduated from the Program through local public libraries.

“I wanted to finish high school to set a good example for my children. I also wanted to do it for me,” said Shannon Alvarado, who graduated from Los Angeles Public Library. “This program has given me the tools needed to prepare a resume. It has also made me want to further my education. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to get my high school diploma!”

With Career Online High School, California residents can:

* Earn an accredited high school diploma and workforce certificate in one of eight trade areas, ranging from protection officer to customer service to commercial driving.

* Take classes online, with the flexibility of 24/7 access to classwork, with up to 18 months to complete the program.

* Be supported by certified instructors and an academic coach to help them succeed.

* Complete the program sooner by transferring previously earned high school credits.

* Gain career readiness with a career portfolio including a resume, a cover letter and job preparation support.

“The success of California’s Career Online High School Program is a great example of how public libraries are empowering learning within the community and changing lives,” said Paul Gazzolo, senior vice president and general manager at Gale.

“We applaud the state of California’s investment in public libraries as hubs for community education and economic development,” Gazzolo said. “We are honored to be a trusted partner and are thrilled to continue providing their public libraries with educational and career resources to help California residents earn a high school diploma and achieve their dreams.”

California residents interested in learning more about the program or would like to view the list of libraries that offer the program can visit http://www.careeronlinehs.gale.com/ca/.

Gale will showcase Career Online High School at the ALA Midwinter Conference in Denver February 9-12, at the Gale booth #1508.

About Career Online High School
Career Online High School was developed in 2012 through a partnership by ed2go, a division of Cengage that provides students with online continuing education and career training, and Smart Horizons Career Online Education in an effort to provide affordable, career-based online education opportunities for the millions of adults in the United States without high school diplomas. In 2014, the program was adapted for the public library market by Gale, a Cengage company.

About Cengage and Gale
Cengage is the education and technology company built for learners. The company serves the higher education, K-12, professional, library and workforce training markets worldwide. Gale, a Cengage company, provides libraries with original and curated content, as well as the modern research tools and technology that are crucial in connecting libraries to learning, and learners to libraries. For more than 60 years, Gale has partnered with libraries around the world to empower the discovery of knowledge and insights – where, when, and how people need it. Gale has 500 employees globally with its main operations in Farmington Hills, Michigan. For more information, please visit www.gale.com.