Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Adult Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Board approves narrower credit requirements to speed Torrance Adult School diplomas
Summary
The board approved reducing Torrance Adult School diploma credits from 200 to 145 and cutting GED/HiSET-plus elective requirements from 100 to 50, while adding a 10-unit residency requirement, a career-foundation elective, and a 15-credit cap for work-experience electives to safeguard integrity.
The Torrance Unified School Board voted Nov. 5 to make Torrance Adult School diplomas more accessible by reducing credit requirements and streamlining pathways for adult learners.
Dr. Stephanie Lewis, director of adult education at Torrance Adult School, presented the proposal. She told the board the change responds to lower completion rates and aligns TAS with neighboring adult-school programs. Under the approved framework, total credits required for a TAS high-school diploma would fall from 200 to 145; core academic credit requirements remain unchanged while elective requirements are reduced.
For students who earn a high-school equivalency (GED or HiSET), the district also cut the additional-credit requirement from 100 to 50 credits to create a quicker route to a diploma. To ensure program integrity, the board adopted safeguards Lewis proposed: at least 10 residency units must be completed while enrolled at TAS, students will take a career-foundation elective, and work-experience credits will be capped at 15 elective credits (one credit per 20 hours worked).
Board members praised the goal of increasing completion and accessibility. One board member called adult-school graduations “some of my favorites,” and moved to approve the measure; another member seconded, and the board voted aye.
What’s next: TAS staff said it will begin outreach to former students and publicize the new pathway; the change aims to accelerate workforce entry and reduce barriers for adult learners.
