MiraCosta College Adult High School Program
Submitted By: Bea Aguilar
Coastal North County Adult Education Consortium
Website: https://miracosta.edu/academics/continuing-education/adult-high-school/index.html
Type of Practice: Learner Transition
Program Area(s): ABE / ASE
Region: San Diego - Imperial
Consortia Involved: Coastal North County Adult Education Consortium
The Program of Practice
The MiraCosta College Adult High School Diploma Program is a tuition-free, noncredit program, WASC-accredited and approved under the CAEP program area of Adult Secondary Education (ASE). It directly supports the CAEP state priority of Equity, providing diverse adult learners with access to a flexible, supportive, and academically rigorous pathway to earn their high school diploma or prepare for the GED.
As the only adult high school program in the MiraCosta Community College District, it serves a wide range of students across North San Diego County, including working adults, caregivers, older learners, English language learners, and students with disabilities. Courses are offered year-round, in in-person, online, and HyFlex formats, at the Community Learning Center in Oceanside.
Instruction is delivered by a team of four full-time faculty and several associate teachers, each with a master’s degree or higher, who specialize in adult learning and student engagement. The program also provides wraparound support, including academic counseling, accommodations, tutoring, and access to all MiraCosta College student services. This ensures students not only earn their diplomas but are fully prepared to transition into college, vocational training, or the workforce.
As the sole provider of adult high school education in the region, MiraCosta College is uniquely positioned to meet the needs of a highly diverse socioeconomically varied adult population—many of whom have been underserved or excluded by traditional educational systems. According to the 2020 American Community Survey, there are 32,843 individuals within the MiraCosta College District who do not yet have a high school diploma. Of these individuals, 60 percent reported speaking English 'less than well,' 51 percent are female, and 49 percent are male. This group ranges from age 16 (24%), to adults aged 40 to 49 (16%), to those aged 50 and older (36%). This data highlights the significant need for accessible and effective adult education programs within the district to address the diverse needs of this population.
In order to be effective, the program must be broadly accessible, culturally responsive, and designed to serve students at every stage of life. A one-size-fits-all approach would leave too many behind. The program must support students who work full time, care for children, face housing instability, or have disabilities—all while fostering college and career readiness.
The Response
To address this complex challenge, MiraCosta’s Adult High School program offers a multi-modal, equity-driven solution that includes:
• Short-term courses that last just 8 weeks and are offered in Fall, Spring, and Summer semesters. This scheduling format enables students to complete courses more quickly when students enroll into at least two classes per 8-week term.
• Multiple completion pathways allow students to pursue a diploma based on their needs, skills, and time-to-completion. These pathways include: traditional diploma solely through MiraCosta’s AHS, completing college course and AHS courses concurrently to earn both a diploma and a degree, taking AHS credits back to their home school to earn a diploma, or preparing for the GED.
• Two full-time noncredit counselors dedicated solely to AHS students who provide comprehensive educational plans, academic advising, and transition support.
• Onsite support from the Student Accessibility Services (SAS) office, offering individualized accommodations and counseling for students with disabilities.
• Access to tutoring, library resources, digital tools, and technology support, aligning with the same support systems available to credit students.
These elements create a robust framework for student success, persistence, and upward mobility.
The Unique Features of the Program
What sets the MiraCosta College Adult High School (AHS) program apart is its deep integration into the broader college ecosystem and its intentional focus on fostering belonging, community, and student identity. The program is housed at the Community Learning Center (CLC), a vibrant and inclusive campus that serves as a hub for noncredit and adult education. The recent WASC Visiting Team commended the welcoming and inclusive nature of the CLC, noting how comfortable students feel attending classes and engaging with staff and peers.
AHS students benefit from a college-like experience that includes:
• In-person, Direct Instruction: as opposed to independent study packets and software program models used by other organizations, ensuring deeper learning and engagement.
• Faculty-created and Curated Curriculum and Course Content: offering a more personalized alternative to commercial off-the-shelf curriculum and software designed for broader audiences of students.
• Flexible course formats: AHS students can enroll into in-person, online, hybrid, and HyFlex courses every single 8-week term. Multiple modalities make education accessible regardless of transportation, scheduling conflicts, or personal obligations.
• Equity-centered service: AHS students benefit from an inclusive and equitable learning environment due to the extensive culturally responsive professional development and trainings that faculty and staff engage in on a regular basis.
• College-Level Support Services: AHS students receive the same academic and wellness services as students taking credit courses, including academic counseling, disability accommodations, technology access, and career exploration tools.
• Full-Time, Master's-Level Faculty: Instructors with deep expertise in adult education build strong relationships with students, differentiate instruction, and mentor learners toward their personal, academic, and career goals. All full-time faculty, and many part-time faculty, serve on schoolwide committees and have continuous contact with colleagues at the college, deepening their knowledge of future pathways for students.
• Embedded Transition Support: AHS “embeds” counselors into every course, utilizing a case management format that enables them to introduce students early to noncredit and credit pathways, helping them align their educational plans with long-term career interests.
• Community-Building Events: The AHS and MiraCosta College host numerous student-centered events throughout the year—such as socials, cultural celebrations, and resource fairs—that foster connection and reduce the isolation often experienced in adult education. These events are designed to build community among students who might otherwise pursue their education in siloed or independent-study environments.
• Milestone Celebrations: Graduation ceremonies, honor society inductions, and end-of-semester socials provide students with visibility, pride, and a sense of accomplishment that reinforces their academic identity.
• Multiple Pathways: Students can pursue a traditional high school diploma or prepare for the GED, allowing the program to meet a wide range of learning styles, timelines, and postsecondary goals.
The Outcome
The MiraCosta Adult High School Program has consistently demonstrated success through both quantitative and qualitative outcomes:
• Diploma Completion: Graduation rates have increased by 25% over the last three years, a nearly 50% increase in just the last academic year, and many students completing within 12–18 months.
• Postsecondary Transition: Approximately 60% of program graduates go on to enroll in credit-bearing programs, vocational certificates, or workforce training at MiraCosta.
• Student Diversity: Over 70% of students identify as students of color, with strong representation from low-income, multilingual, and nontraditional age groups.
• Student Satisfaction: End-of-term surveys report a 92% satisfaction rate, citing supportive instructors, flexible course formats, and access to counseling and technology.
• Career Readiness: Students who complete the diploma are often concurrently enrolled in noncredit career pathways such as Office Clerk, Teacher’s Aide, or Microsoft Office, boosting their employability upon graduation.
While fully replicating MiraCosta’s Adult High School model—including full-time faculty, wraparound college services, and multimodal instruction—may be difficult for many programs due to funding constraints, there are scalable elements that other adult education providers can adopt to improve student access, connection, and success:
• Offering some direct-instruction courses in addition to independent study formats, to provide structure and improve engagement.
• Develop intentional, predictable, and consistent community-building opportunities for students to connect with one another, faculty, and staff.
• Assigning faculty mentors to individual students or small cohorts, creating embedded academic and emotional support throughout the term.
• Becoming a registered GED testing site, so students have a local, streamlined path to earn their high school equivalency.
Even incremental adoption of these practices can increase student through-put, transition readiness, and equity—especially for programs seeking to better serve nontraditional learners with complex needs.