The Excel Center®, Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana’s tuition-free high school for adults, recently celebrated a ribbon-cutting ceremony at its southeast Indianapolis location (2251 Sloan Avenue). Speakers included Kent A. Kramer, president & CEO of Goodwill, Mayor Joe Hogsett, Johnny Manson, school director, and Adriana Flores, a recent graduate.
The school began serving students in 2023, and it was created to expand educational options and opportunities for adults, with specific outreach to justice-involved individuals. In its first year, The Excel Center in southeast Indy educated more than 500 students and graduated 25.
The Excel Center in southeast Indy, authorized by the mayor’s Office of Education Innovation, is open to any adult student seeking a high school diploma, college credits, and industry-recognized certifications. With expedited curriculum and flexible scheduling, adults can graduate quickly and prepare to immediately enter the workforce, pursue postsecondary education, or a combination of both. Free onsite child care, transportation assistance. and individualized coaching ensure students receive the support they need to succeed.
According to the United States Census Bureau, more than 10% of working-age adults in Marion County lack a high school diploma. Studies illustrate individuals without a diploma are more likely to be involved with the criminal justice system, earn significantly less over their lifetimes and their own children are less likely to graduate from high school, continuing the cycle of poverty.
The joint venture between IPS and The Excel Center in southeast Indy creates educational pathways and potential employment opportunities for program graduates. The Excel Center, which is leasing space inside Paul I. Miller School 114, shares the building with the IPS Facilities Management Department (FMD).
The 18 Excel Center locations in central and southern Indiana have graduated nearly 9,000 students since the first campus opened in 2010. A recent study by the Lab for Economic Opportunity at the University of Notre Dame showed that Excel Center graduates earn 39 percent more than their peers five years after graduation.
Visit excelcenter.org to enroll at The Excel Center or to learn more.