Since opening in September 2023, The Excel Center has become a beacon of hope for Baltimore adults determined to reshape their lives. As Maryland’s only tuition-free, public high school dedicated exclusively to adults ages 21 and over, the school provides a second chance at education in the heart of Baltimore City (222 E. Redwood Street).
In just two years, The Excel Center has served more than 550 students, awarded 75 diplomas, and helped hundreds more move closer to graduation.
That waitlist isn’t a failure. It’s a measure of success — and a sign of how much more is needed.
The Excel Center meets learners where they are, offering flexible schedules, an accelerated, competency-based curriculum with embedded job training, wraparound coaching to balance work, family, and school, on-site childcare, and transportation assistance. This model recognizes the real-world obstacles adult learners face and provides the support needed to succeed.
Operations include five terms per year, each just eight weeks. Students learn at their own pace, completing graduation requirements in as little as eight weeks or taking up to eighteen months. Currently, capacity allows for 150 students per term. With adequate investment, the school is prepared to expand to 350 students per term—multiplying the number of Marylanders whose lives, families, and futures can be changed.
It delivers renewed purpose and economic mobility to families across Baltimore. With ongoing support and funding, barriers that keep adult learners from reaching their goals can be removed and, together with community partners, the fabric of Baltimore will be strengthened.
To learn more about expanding access to life-changing education, please contact Jonathan Balog at 410-837-1800 x1175 or jbalog@goodwillches.org
© 2026 Goodwill Industries of the Chesapeake.
