What We Do
The Excel Center Kansas City
What is The Excel Center?
The Excel Center Kansas City® is a high quality, free high school for Missouri adults in the Kansas City area 21+ who want to earn a high school diploma opening in Fall 2025. The Excel Center will focus on in person learning with a campus located in southern Kansas City, near the intersection of Bannister Rd and I-435, easily accessible by car or bus, with a Troost Max Line bus stop just outside.
For Missouri adults, the lack of a high school diploma can lead to low wages, difficulty finding employment, and increased likelihood that their children will drop out of high school. These limited employment prospects, low wages and poverty have even been linked to negative health outcomes. With a high school diploma, the future can look different.
Forty seven other Goodwill Excel Centers have been successfully operating since the first one opened 10 years ago, including six in Missouri operated by MERS Goodwill based out of the St. Louis area. Hear about this success firsthand from Katie, a graduate of an Excel Center operated by Goodwill of Central & Southern Indiana.
The vision for the Excel Center is to open doors for continued education, good paying jobs, and industry certifications through local business partners and post-secondary institutions. With a focus on the unique challenges that adult learners face, The Excel Center Kansas City is proud to offer a variety of resources aimed set our learners up for success.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any Missouri resident 21 year or older that doesn’t already have a high school degree can apply. Enrollment isn’t open yet, but we expect it to begin in Spring 2025.
With the services we already offer, a high school was a natural next step. Goodwill helps job seekers overcome barriers to employment and the lack of a high school diploma is a major barrier for many local job seekers.
The Excel Center focuses on college and career readiness and the unique challenges adult
learners face. All students are encouraged to earn industry recognized certifications and/or dual college credits along with their diploma and speak with our on-site life coaches to help prepare for employment after graduation.
Different people thrive in different environments and we aim to be some students’ perfect fit. With our focus on meeting people where they are, in-person classes with teachers in the classroom to give in-the-moment help, strategies that work best for adult learners, and helping people transition to the next step after high school we aim to partner with existing programs to make sure all learners are set up for success
No, it will not. Since the Excel Center Kansas City serves adult learners 21+, it will be funded through the Missouri Department of Social Services, not the Missouri Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Yes! Since students at the Excel Center will be earning high school degrees, it will be held to the same standards as any other school offering high school degrees.
For some people, yes. But for other people, learning in physical classrooms is the best environment to learn. The Excel Center will offer one on one assistance, an environment focused on learning, and free on-site childcare.
Yes! The Excel Center Kansas City will employ qualified special education instructors to work with a variety of skill levels, aptitudes, and education experience. Our model is especially focused on meeting individual students where they are and will abide by all federal and state regulations.
Questions?
While we are not yet currently enrolling, we want you to stay involved! Fill out the interest form below and someone will reach out when we have more information.
