HSE ACADEMY HISTORY

View our historical timeline to learn how the HSE Academy has transformed over the years and continues to serve students:

2001: The birth of the foundation’s HSE program began with a GED curriculum at the Los Angeles campus of American Career College (ACC) in 2001. The idea: make a direct impact in the lives of non-high school graduates by providing a high-quality, no-cost GED preparation course and exam testing.

2001 – 2013: The program expanded under the ACC umbrella to meet growing community demand. This included extending into other Southern California areas, including Orange and San Bernardino counties.

2014: In response to the California Department of Education’s adoption of two additional high school equivalency exams and shift from the GED to the HSE, the program adopted the HiSET® (High School Equivalency Test).

2015: The ACC Educational Foundation (ACCEF) took the reins from ACC in a move to further broaden and grow the program into the current HSE Academy model.

2017: The ACCEF piloted a Spanish-language program in partnership with the Boys & Girls Club of Central Orange Coast to offer classes in Santa Ana.

2020: The HSE Academy program went 100% online during the COVID-19 pandemic to continue to support the success of our students.

2023: The HSE Academy became a hybrid program, meaning it started incorporating both in-class instruction and online learning. Students now spend two days a week on-campus and three days learning remotely under the blended model.

Today & Beyond: The ACCEF and the HSE Academy are serving thousands of students annually and continue to build partnerships with other nonprofits, corporations and foundations to lift up the communities where we work and live.