Sacramento Public Library Works with Gale, part of Cengage Learning, to Deliver Accredited High School Diplomas

Career Online High School Program Launches this Summer

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Jul 15, 2014, 11:05 ET

SACRAMENTO, Calif. and FARMINGTON HILLS, Mich., July 15, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Sacramento Public Library will offer qualified community members the opportunity to earn accredited high school diplomas and credentialed career certificates through Career Online High School, a program brought to public libraries by Gale, part of Cengage Learning. Currently, more than 50,000 adults in Sacramento, nearly 20 percent of the local population age 25 and over, lack a high school degree or equivalent. Career Online High School is specifically designed to reengage adults into the education system and prepare them for entry into post-secondary career education or the workforce.

"Earning a high school diploma is a powerful, life-changing achievement that has an enormous impact on one's future success, and Gale is delighted to enable Sacramento Public Library to offer this program to their community," said Nader Qaimari, senior vice president, sales and marketing, Gale.

"Education is the common thread that pulls together everything we do," said Sacramento Public Library Director Rivkah K. Sass. "Career Online High School helps move Sacramento Public Library from educational partner to educational provider."

Sacramento Public Library will award scholarships for Career Online High School to qualified learners that intend to earn a high school diploma and advance their careers. Once enrolled, Career Online High School pairs each student with an Academic Coach, who assists with developing an individual career plan, offers ongoing guidance and encouragement, evaluates performance, and connects the learner with the resources needed to demonstrate mastery of the course material. Sacramento Public Library is the second California library to offer this groundbreaking program, following Los Angeles Public Library earlier this year.

Classes are supported by board-certified instructors and students have 24/7 access to the online learning platform. Coursework begins in one of eight high-growth, high-demand career fields (across a wide spectrum from child care and education to certified transportation), before progressing to the core academic subjects. Many students are able to graduate in as few as 4 to 6 months by transferring in previously earned high school credits.

Sacramento Public Library will launch Career Online High School to the community in July. Interested Sacramento citizens can visit the library's web site at www.saclibrary.org/diplomas. For more information on Career Online High School, please visit http://www.careeronlinehs.gale.com/.

This program is supported by the U.S. Institute of Museum and Library Services, under the provisions of the Library Services and Technology Act, administered in California by the State Librarian.

Career Online High School with Sacramento Public Library is offered in partnership with the Califa Group, a non-profit consortium representing more than 220 libraries in California and elsewhere.

About Cengage Learning and Gale
Cengage Learning is a leading educational content, technology and services company, empowering educators and driving learner engagement through personalized services and course-driven digital solutions that bridge from the library to the classroom. Gale, part of Cengage Learning, serves the world's information and education needs through its vast and dynamic content pools, which are used by students and consumers in their libraries, schools and on the Internet. It is best known for the accuracy, breadth and convenience of its data, addressing all types of information needs – from homework help to health questions to business profiles – in a variety of formats. For more information, visit www.cengage.com or www.gale.cengage.com.

About Sacramento Public Library
Sacramento Public Library is the fourth largest public library system in California. Each year, the Library holds more than 7,000 public events, serves 4.5 million visitors and circulates 7.5 million items. The system includes 450,000 square feet of public space across 28 locations.

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SOURCE Cengage Learning