Elk Grove Adult and Community Education - High School Equivalency Prep (GED or HiSET)

High School Equivalency Prep (GED or HiSET)

Free classes, positive learning environments, supportive teachers
High School Equivalency Prep (GED or HiSET)

- The 25-26 School Year starts August 28th. Continuous enrollment throughout the year.
- Blended Learning environment: On Campus one day a week, online anytime!
- Individualized learning support.
- Registration sign-up opens July 9th, 2025

Program Information Sessions (coming soon)

Learn more about our programs
Program Information Sessions (coming soon)

The High School Equivalency Test Preparation Program (HSE) is for adult students preparing to take the GEDⓇ or HiSETⓇ equivalency examinations. HSE students attend on campus once a week, and work online anytime with support from credentialed teachers.Students who earn their GEDⓇ or HiSETⓇ participate in Spring Commencement.

High School/GED FAQ

HSD/HSE/ABE Program FAQ 2025-26

EGACE is implementing a new learning model for all of our HSD/GED and ABE classes this school year. All classes will now be conducted using a Blended Learning model.

How many credits are required to graduate?

EGACE High School Diploma students will earn an official District Certified diploma upon completion of 200 credits. Please see below.

English	40 Credits
Math	10 Credits General math
Algebra	10 Credits
Life Science/Biology	10 Credits
Physical Science/Earth Science	10 Credits
Geography*	5 Credits (* not required in all school districts)
Health	5 Credits
World History	10 Credits
US History	10 Credits
Am. Government	5 Credits
Economics	5 Credits
Visual/Performing Arts	10 Credits
Electives	70 Credits

All credits earned in prior HS programs, will be transferred in and count towards these requirements. Students are responsible for providing EGACE with a complete transcript in order for credits to be applied.

What if I was on a reduced credit pathway?

Students who agreed to a reduced credit pathway at their prior school, as provided by protections in California Law, will be placed on the same pathway at EGACE. This is determined by the credit summary on the transcript that is provided to EGACE. The minimum requirement for students on this pathway is 130 credits, the State basic requirement.

What’s the difference between HSD and GED? Is the GED faster?

Question	High School Diploma (HSD)	GED (General Educational Development)
What it is	A diploma earned by completing required high school courses	A certificate earned by passing four subject-area exams
How it’s earned	By earning credits through high school-level classes	By passing tests in Math, Language Arts, Science, and Social Studies
Time commitment	Most classes take about 50 hours to earn 5 credits. More credits = More time	Time varies based on your skills and what you need to review
Instruction style	Individualized to support credit attainment in online curriculum	Coursework focuses only on the subjects and topics you need to improve to pass
Support classes	Reading and math support classes are available but don’t count for credit	Support is focused on preparing for the GED exams
Best for	Students who want a traditional classroom path to graduation	Students who prefer to prepare and test out instead of taking full classes
Accepted for	College, military, and career training programs	College, military*, and career training programs
Graduation ceremony	Yes, students may participate in the end-of-year ceremony	Yes, GED graduates may also participate in the ceremony

What is the GED?

The GED is made up of 4 tests: Math, Reading, Science & Social Studies. GED redesigned their examinations in 2014 to align with college admissions standards. Students can earn a High School Equivalency with a 145 on all 4 tests. For more information about scores, please use this link.

Blended Learning FAQ

What is Blended Learning?

Blended learning combines in-person classroom learning with online learning. Students will choose their in-person class, and attend that class day weekly, while continuing to have online access to curriculum to complete independently according to their own schedule.

What Can I Expect on My "In-Class" Day?

Teachers will utilize in-person classes to meet with students, provide individualized instruction and small group instruction for skill building, answer questions about independent work and work with students to set learning goals for the following week. Additionally, EGACE counselor, Allyson Lau will be offering college and career workshops, transition planning and facilitating support services for students.

How long is the class day?

The labs for all 3 classes will now be in Classroom 3, and they will be open 9am-7:30pm. Students should plan to spend a minimum of 2 hours in their in-person class on their class day. In order to provide flexibility and choice, students may access their in-person class on their chosen class day, anytime between the hours of 9am and 7:30pm.

Can I come on an additional day, if I want?

Yes! Students who prefer to work in person, may do so on any day of the week. In addition to the classroom lab, laptops are available to check out for on site work in the Job Center.

What if I can only work on-line? Is there any option for me?

Yes! We want to ensure access to our programs no matter how students need to participate in their learning. To address this in the 25-26 school year, we will offer 1 day a week dedicated to our Distance Learning/Online Students. Students who register for this section must attend via Zoom or online meeting platform with their teacher during Online Lab Hours, Mondays between 9am-5pm.