Online High School Diploma Program

The Program of Practice

The Adult Secondary Education (ASE) High School Diploma program at the Santa Ana College School of Continuing Education consists of courses to help students demonstrate the ability to apply essential grammar, reading, writing, math, and social/natural science concepts when transferring to college, entering the workforce, or pursuing personal success. The sequence of courses is designed to build a strong foundation of basic skills from elementary through secondary levels to help students earn a high school diploma, obtain employment, pursue vocational training and better job opportunities, and transition into college-credit programs.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, instruction was delivered primarily in a learning lab format, where learners completed designated materials with on-site instructor support at their own pace and on their own schedule. However, the student success rate in these courses — defined as the percentage of enrolled students who received a passing grade by the end of the semester — was approximately 30%.

The COVID-19 pandemic forced an abrupt transition to online learning, exposing significant gaps in student access to technology, internet connectivity, and digital literacy. Many adult students lacked the tools to fully engage in remote learning. At the same time, essential support services like academic counseling, mental health resources, and learning assistance were not readily accessible in the new online format. The program was faced with the challenge of serving students at various stages of completion while ensuring equitable access to both instruction and critical support systems.

The Response

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty, administration, and staff acted swiftly to maintain educational continuity and ensure equitable access to both instruction and support services. This comprehensive response created a replicable model that other adult education programs can adapt to their own contexts.

Curriculum was moved to shared digital folders, and teachers and counselors established Zoom sessions to maintain routine and connection. Online access to homework and testing platforms was provided, allowing students to complete coursework from home. Faculty received professional development focused on online instructional strategies, engagement, and technology use.

Virtual counseling services became a cornerstone of the program. The Counseling Department—working closely with ASE faculty—reimagined how services could be delivered remotely using standard technologies available to most institutions. Students accessed academic guidance, progress checks, and graduation evaluations through video, audio, and text communication. Every new or returning student met with a counselor to develop an individualized education plan and register for classes.

Virtual orientations were created to help students navigate the high school program and available resources. To strengthen college and career readiness, the Counseling department implemented two courses, covering topics such as time management, financial aid, and dual enrollment.

The department developed a long-term strategy to build an asynchronous online curriculum. Faculty completed the California Community College @One Online Teaching Certification and were supported and compensated to develop Canvas-based courses aligned with Student Learning Outcomes. Courses were transitioned from open-entry/open-exit to 8-week managed enrollment sections with weekly deadlines to support pacing and accountability—a structural change that can be applied regardless of technology platform.

To help eliminate barriers facing students, the school established 24-hour help lines to provide technical assistance, in-person and online "welcome centers" to provide general information and guidance, and comprehensive basic needs support, including financial assistance. These wraparound services created a more inclusive, efficient, and sustainable model for adult education.

The Unique Features of the Program

Unprecedented Speed of Transformation: The program completed a planned three-year transition to fully online delivery in just 14 months, demonstrating exceptional agility and creating a replicable emergency implementation model. This rapid transformation provides a roadmap showing that comprehensive program redesign is achievable across diverse institutional contexts using standard technology tools.

Barrier-Free Accessibility Model: The program has eliminated traditional geographic and scheduling constraints that typically limit adult education access. Students can complete coursework from any location with internet access, removing barriers such as transportation challenges, work schedule conflicts, and childcare limitations. This accessibility framework demonstrates how online delivery can serve populations underserved by conventional adult education models.

Integrated Wellness and Academic Support: The program uniquely combines academic instruction with comprehensive wraparound services, including mental health workshops, community partnerships, and technical support. This holistic approach provides a coordinated support framework that can be adapted based on local community resources and partnerships.

Faculty-Driven Quality Assurance System: The scalable approach to faculty development — requiring @One certification, providing paid course development time, and creating shared departmental resources — ensures consistent quality while empowering instructors to innovate. This model can be implemented by institutions of any size, starting with core faculty and expanding over time.

Structured Flexibility Model: Previously, students could start and stop courses at any time without deadlines, which presented completion challenges common to self-paced adult education models. The program now offers structured 8-week courses with regular deadlines and clear completion timelines, while maintaining flexibility by allowing students to access in-person support when needed. This balanced approach has dramatically improved completion rates and can be implemented regardless of LMS platform.

Flexible Multi-Modal Learning Support: The program provides comprehensive technical assistance through 24/7 help lines and both virtual and in-person Welcome Centers, ensuring students can access support regardless of their technological comfort level. This multi-layered support system addresses the digital divide and can be adapted to different institutional resources.

The Outcome

High School Diploma Program Growth:

2019-2020: 12,115 enrolled | 887.87 FTES | 732 sections | 123 graduates
2020-2021: 11,853 enrolled | 1,132.7 FTES | 591 sections | 112 graduates
2021-2022: 11,346 enrolled | 1,145.1 FTES | 845 sections | 211 graduates
2022-2023: 13,883 enrolled | 1,216.8 FTES | 1,162 sections | 258 graduates
2023-2024: 14,120 enrolled | 1,222.6 FTES | 1,440 sections | 261 graduates

Key Growth Indicators:

Enrollment increased by 24% from 2021–2022 to 2023–2024
Graduation numbers more than doubled, from 123 (2019–2020) to 261 (2023–2024)
Course sections nearly doubled, expanding access and flexibility
FTES rose by 38% since the pre-pandemic year

Student Success Rate Transformation:

Pre-pandemic F2F pass rate: ~30%
2020–2021: F2F ~25% | Online ~40%

2021–2022: F2F ~22% | Online ~51%
2022–2023: F2F ~20% | Online ~56%
2023–2024: F2F ~19% | Online ~46%

The online model consistently outperforms traditional delivery by 25-35 percentage points, providing evidence that similar improvements are achievable in other adult education contexts implementing comparable structural changes.

Student Support Impact (2024-2025 YTD):

772 students completed Adult High School Orientation
2,734 virtual counseling sessions were provided

Support includes personalized education planning, transcript and graduation evaluations, college and career transition support, mental health workshops and referrals, and technical support. This comprehensive support model demonstrates how virtual services can enhance student engagement, with scalable approaches adaptable to different institutional capacities.