The Goal: Raising Incomes and Employment Opportunities for Better Lives and Economic Growth
BALTIMORE, March 21, 2023 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- It's official: Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake is opening an Excel Center, a free high school for adults so they can earn a Maryland Department of Education-issued diploma.
The school, which opens September 2023, will use a proven curriculum and approach developed over the past decade at more than 30 Excel campuses in seven states. Research led by the University of Notre Dame shows that the Centers' nearly 10,000 graduates have seen a 40% increase in employment and a 39% increase in earnings. Nearly 40% go on to college and 70% earned either an industry certification or dual college credits.
"More than 80,000 adults in Baltimore don't have a high school diploma, severely limiting their income potential and employment opportunities," says Lisa Rusyniak, Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake's President & CEO. "Our mission is to prepare people to secure and retain employment. Our Excel Center will enable participants to go on to higher education or vocational training so they can earn a better living and make a better life."
Baltimore's Excel Center is specifically designed to serve adult students with varying levels of previous education through accelerated learning, individualized attention, and in-person, direct instruction. Its program is constructed to accommodate working adults and parents, with four-day class weeks and an eight-week academic term. In addition to classes, the school will offer on-site childcare and transportation assistance to help students stick with their schedules.
Once they've completed the eight-week program, Goodwill life coaches will help students with college enrollment and entering post-secondary skills training to pursue careers in most any desired industry.
The Baltimore Excel Center will be paid for by a mix of federal, state, and donated funds:
- $1.4 million Congressional Direct Spending federal grant secured by U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-MD)
- $1 million in FY2023 and FY2024 in the Maryland state budget with the assistance of Senate President Ferguson, Senator Guzzone, and the Maryland legislature.
- $1 million from Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake for building renovation/capital spending
- $250,000 annually from the Maryland Department of Education
- Abell Foundation $250K capital support for building renovation
The Center will be located at Goodwill's former headquarters at 222 E Redwood in downtown Baltimore. Initially, Goodwill is recruiting 150 students and will expand to 350 students. The Center is hiring seven teachers, four life coaches, and four administrators. An executive director has been hired. Renovations at the former headquarters will begin in April, with the school scheduled to open in September 2023.
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