Initiatives
USF High School Equivalency Program (HEP)
A 38-Year Legacy, 1987-2025
For 38 years, the University of South Florida High School Equivalency Program (HEP)
provided an unprecedented educational opportunity for students from migrant and
seasonal farmworker families who had previously dropped out of school to have a second
chance at attaining their high school diplomas. The state of Florida is home to one
of the
nation’s largest farmworker communities, and over time, the USF HEP served more than
2,000 students. The majority of our students left school in their teens to work in
the fields
alongside their families. At the USF HEP they found a welcoming place to earn a high
school equivalency diploma and take the next step toward college, vocational training,
military service, or a better job.
The program was built on the idea that students whose schooling was interrupted have
the
best chance of success in an environment where they are provided with direct intervention
and comprehensive support. Most HEP students lived on campus in the dorms alongside
typical college students. Along with a full all day, five days a week GED course of
study and
academic support, they received counseling, health services, and chances to take part
in
the social and cultural life of the university. Staff helped each student plan a career
and
apply to college, vocational training, the military, or a better job, then stayed
in touch with
graduates after they left the program.
Living on a college campus was at the heart of the HEP experience. Students had the
chance to focus entirely on the program’s educational, cultural, pre-vocational and
social
opportunities. For young people who otherwise would never have had such an opportunity,
fully experiencing college life was transformative, with lasting effects on their
academic,
social and career paths. HEP students also gave back, serving as guest speakers and
panelists in university and local school district classes and organizing food and
clothing
drives for local communities. Along the way, they built a sense of community that
reached
beyond their immediate circles and enriched the university community as well. During
the
COVID-19 pandemic, when many students were isolated with few educational options,
the
residential program continued, giving participants stability during a time of great
crisis.
The results speak for themselves. The U.S. Department of Education set the bar for
80% of
HEP students to earn their diploma. Over the life of the program, close to 90% of
USF HEP
participants earned their high school equivalency diploma, exceeding that federal
target as
well as state and national averages for students from similar backgrounds, and making
the
USF HEP one of the top-performing HEP programs in the nation. Graduates went on to
college, job training, the military and upgraded employment. Many became the first
in their
families to do so.
Students and families agreed. In annual program evaluations, more than 97% of HEP
participants and their parents rated the overall HEP experience as “excellent” or
“above
average.” Students gave their instruction equally high marks: more than 95% rated
the
quality of instruction, the helpfulness of GED preparation materials, and their teachers’
clarity, helpfulness, acceptance and preparedness as “excellent” or “above average,”
with
several items receiving 100% consistently. Feedback from alumni, the migrant community,
HEP staff and the university community told the same story. By any measure, the USF
HEP
changed lives, with benefits that lasted long after students left the program.
After 38 years, USF HEP is sunsetting for now. The Center for Migrant Education is
deeply
proud of what our students achieved and grateful to the families, staff, faculty,
partners
and funders who made this work possible. We remain committed to farmworker students
and families, and we hope to bring HEP back to USF in the future.
Calling all HEP graduates! Your stories are the true legacy of this program. Whether you
went on to college, started a career, or are raising the next generation of students,
we'd
love to hear where your journey has taken you.