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

High School Equivalency Prep (GED or HiSET)

Adult GED/HiSET Preparation Classes

Free classes, positive learning environments, supportive teachers
Adult GED/HiSET Preparation Classes

Congratulations EGACE 2025-26 GED Graduates!

EGACE 2026 Graduates Receiving their diplomas at the graduate ceremonies.

Will 2026-27 be your turn to walk at graduation?

Classes Start August 24th!

Click Here to Get Started

High School/GED FAQ

HSD/HSE/ABE Program Scheduling

EGACE uses a Blended Learning model for all of our HSD/GED and ABE classes. Students come on campus at regular intervals to meet in person with their teachers for assessments, and intensive support workshops geared toward their particular needs.

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 come on campus for in-person learning at various benchmarks in their Individualized Learning Plan, while continuing to have online access to curriculum to complete independently according to their own schedule.

When Do I Need to Come to Campus?

Students are required to come to campus for the following benchmarks:

Summative Assessments (finals) including final essays
CASAS Growth Testing (October/April)
Seminar/Intensive Learning Sessions
GED Practice Testing and Official Testing
College and Career Transition Planning meetings

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?

EGACE seeks to ensure access to our programs no matter how students need to participate in their learning. Reasonable accommodations include online, synchronous webinars in place of in person sessions, and student-driven flexible scheduling for mandatory in-person activities such as CASAS Assessments and other final assessments.

Students must have appropriate Digital Literacy and independent learning skills, access to an internet connection and a tablet at minimum to fully participate in the online learning.

What are Intensive Learning Seminars?

Students in the HSD program will be participating in standards-aligned intensive learning seminars. These seminars are designed to meet the student’s learning needs, and meet College and Career readiness and ISTE Digital Literacy standards. These classes will be integrated into the student’s regular coursework.

Topics will include: Math Bootcamp for GED/HSD, College and Career Writing Workshops, College and Career Transitions, Generative A.I., Google Workspace Skills, and How to Study Independently.