Online Company First To Receive State Reimbursement Funds

An online learning company will soon be given state funding to help adults get their high school diploma. It’s the first organization approved to receive grant money from the Workforce Diploma Reimbursement fund.

The Governor’s Workforce Cabinet approved reimbursements for Graduation Alliance up to $6,750 for each eligible Hoosier adult who receives a high school diploma in their program. Its classes offer a mixture of online assignments as well as phone calls and texts with a teacher.

Graduation Alliance was one of six applicants for the program. It was the only one approved. It was also the only one not based in Indiana. 

But Greg Harp, chief development officer at Graduation Alliance says he hopes other adult education organizations will also be approved for grants.

“At the end of the day, we believe this is a big problem,” Harp says. “You know, [there are] over 600,000 people over the age of 18 without a high school diploma in Indiana. One group like us is not going to solve it.”

Graduation Alliance can begin offering online programs on Oct. 1, but Harp says he’s unsure exactly when it will launch in Indiana. It currently offers online classes in Michigan and Ohio. 

Contact Justin at jhicks@wvpe.org or follow him on Twitter at @Hicks_JustinM