Each year we see programs come and go. In this post, I want to list the programs and courses we LOST in 2024. You may still find outdated websites or posts that reference these programs, so this is my effort to keep everyone up to date.
The American Dream Academy
The American Dream Academy (TADA) was a tuition-free, six-month online learning program developed by the Milken Center for Advancing the American Dream in collaboration with Coursera. The program offered professional certificates in areas such as data analytics, IT support, cybersecurity, project management, e-commerce, sales operations, and social media marketing. TADA concluded on April 30, 2024. The program’s certificate was not worth college credit, but several HS4CC high school seniors took advantage of this job credential and the parents awarded high school credit.
Saylor Academy
Saylor Academy nonprofit organization is still robust and provides free college courses (all ages) to anyone. In 2024, they discontinued the courses POLSC101: Introduction to Political Science, and SOC101: Introduction to Sociology. saylor.org
Pierpont Community & Technical College
After nearly 15 years, the 100% complete free Associate of Applied Sciences Board of Governors Degree (AAS BOG) has ended. The degree now requires students to take 15 college credits directly with the college. HS4CC ushered dozens of high school graduates AND THEIR PARENTS through this entirely free degree process over the past decade. So sad to see this one go!
Outlier
In February 2024, Savvas Learning Company, a leader in K-12 educational solutions, acquired Outlier.org, an edtech company that offered high-quality, online college-level courses that were successfully credit laundered onto a University of Pittsburgh college transcript. This strategic acquisition aimed to expand dual-credit opportunities for high school students, enabling them to earn both high school and college credits without leaving their school environment. Great news? Nope. This acquisition now excludes homeschoolers from participating in the courses and program.
$25 Dual Enrollment
Nothing was more exciting than the $25 per credit open Dual Enrollment program offered by various West Virginia community and technical colleges across the state. Teens living in any state could enroll as a distance-learner for the astonishing cost of only $25 per credit. This rate was actually cheaper than many “reduced tuition” DE programs across the country. See individual West Virginia colleges for new rates, which are closer to $65 per credit.
Sophia Learning
This ACE-evaluated course provider is still in business, but in 2024 they stopped offering the following courses: Introductory Applied Math, Topics in U.S. History: Learn from the Past, Prepare for the Future, and Preparing for the Future of Work. With over 20 courses on the HS4CC Watch List set to expire in 2025, you’ll want to stay on top of the list if you’re using Sophia in your homeschool.
Google IT Support Professional Certificate
Available for college credit through ASU Universal Learner program and Coursera, the Google IT Support Professional Certificate was a favorite in the HS4CC community. Parents could resourcefully plan this certificate into their teen’s high school program and it lead to high school credit, college credit, and a career credential that let students immediately apply for job work. Google IT Support Professional Certificate on Coursera incorporates hands-on labs facilitated through Qwiklabs which require the user to be age 18 or older. While we expect some high school seniors can still pursue these courses, this previously “all ages” program now excludes the majority of our community. If it were free or low cost, I would keep it in our database, but at roughly $3,000 and the new age restriction, this program is no longer HS4CC-friendly.
