THE MARK HIGHLIGHTS MAY 7, 2021
MANTECA ADULT SCHOOL Manteca Unified School District
HiSET The Manteca Unified School District’s Manteca Adult School hones a specialized program for those who have decided to complete their high school education: The High School
From there, the test became
Equivalency Test.
widely available as an option, and the only option, for adult
The program is the best he’s seen in his fourteen years of
learners to finish high school.
academic counseling, expressed Larry Machado, adult school,
Until 2014 when the High
be.tech, and independent study counselor.
School Equivalency Test was introduced to the state of
The high school equivalency program differs from the
California as well as other
prevalently known GED, but only where curriculum is concerned.
states.
Whether a student completes the High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) or the General Education Development Test (GED), the
“Think of it as the iPhone vs.
same certificate is issued from the state of California.
the Samsung,” illustrated Mr. Machado. “Both exams
Mr. Machado explained that the GED began in the early 1940’s as
sanction high school
a way to help veterans returning from World War II complete
equivalency, but one may be
their high school education so that they might attend college.
preferred over the other.”
The Manteca Adult School prefers the HiSET,
"We are thrilled to offer
and for a good reason:
education opportunities for
Mr. Machado explained that the population of prospective
Harrison, Manteca Adult
students entering the adult school were never taught Common
School Principal. “If COVID-19
Core standards. Common Core is a national educational system
has taught us anything, it’s
newly introduced in 2009, which came with its own methods and
that we can adapt to meet the
standards of learning and teaching. The GED is aligned to
needs of our students.”
our community,” stated Brad
Common Core. For those who never experienced English or math in the Common Core era, it may make passing the GED more
Further, the adult school
challenging.
offers a myriad of career technical education courses
When compared to the HiSET, Mr. Machado stated, “If you have
with certifications in forklift
good reading comprehension, you’ll do well in four out of the five
operation, welding,
tests. And, because you read well, you’ll grasp the math concepts
commercial driving
easier, even if you never studied algebra.”
fundamentals, and computer
The school adopted the HiSET in 2017 and has
technology to name a few. And, so, when students
seen an increased number of adult graduates.
graduate from the High School
Partially due to the HiSET’s comprehensive curriculum that
now have options to enlist in
comes with a computer assessment test for new enrollees. The
the military, gain employment,
more apt the student’s initial placement is, the more success the
apply for college, or enroll in a
student has.
CTE certification course with
Equivalency program, they
Manteca Adult School to And mostly due to the customer-service oriented environment
become qualified for higher
the adult school takes pride in. They have a passion for
paying jobs.
educating adults, and it shows in their level of care with each and every student seeking to better themselves.
“Education is so important,” expressed Mr. Machado.
Mr. Machado expressed that when adults come to earn their high
“People don’t realize that who
school education, it is a big step for them. "They didn’t finish
they are on paper often
high school the first time because they faced some kind of
precedes them.” Meaning, the
personal hardship. It wasn’t possible or doable for them at the
first thing an employer looks
time,” he explained. “And we understand that.”
for is one’s qualifications.
This year, the adult school has partnered with the City of
Manteca Unified’s Manteca
Manteca and City of Manteca Police Department to offer the
Adult School goes above and
High School Equivalency program to those facing homelessness
beyond for their students—
in the city’s shelters.
encouraging them every step of the way.
Suffice it to say, the adult school’s team of administration, counselors, and teachers were more than willing to oblige.
Education is so important 2271 W. Louise Ave. Manteca CA 95336
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www.mantecausd.net/mantecaadultschool
