Smart Horizons Career Online Education (SHCOE) and ed2go are pleased to announce that Southwest Florida College has become the newest partner in the Bridge to Start high school program.
SHCOE is the world’s first AdvancED/SACS accredited online school district, offering an instructional program that enables students to earn an 18-credit high school diploma and a credentialed career certificate in one online program. A division of Cengage Learning, ed2go is a leading provider of online courses for adult and continuing education students with over 2 million students enrolled in various courses.
Launched by SHCOE and ed2go in May of 2012, Bridge to Start provides a fast-track, AdvancED/SACS-accredited, online high school program that is specifically designed to re-engage students back into the educational system. The program allows students to earn the high school diploma required for entry into colleges and post-secondary career training institutions.
Through on-campus hybrid learning labs set up at Southwest Florida College, students will be able to take advantage of SHCOE’s innovative online education model, while also immersing themselves in a campus-based learning experience. Southwest Florida College has four campuses located in Florida.
“The Bridge to Start program is an innovative approach to obtaining a recognized, accredited high school diploma and we believe it will serve as a catalyst for those seeking to go on to pursue a college education,” said Dr. Stephen Calabro, President of Southwest Florida College.
“We are pleased to expand the program to Southwest Florida College,” said Dr. Howard Liebman, CEO and Superintendent for SHCOE. “The program is a win-win for Southwest Florida College: students benefit from earning a diploma and career certificate, which positions them for enrollment in college, while Southwest Florida College is able to identify a new audience of potential students for whom enrolling in their higher education programs was not previously an option.”
Visit www.ed2golive.com/cohs for more detailed information about the Bridge to Start high school program for post-secondary institutions.