Placer School for Adults

What Placer School for Adults does

Placer School for Adults is a public adult education institution headquartered in Auburn, California, operating under the Placer Union High School District and founded in 1957. It serves adult learners (18+) across Placer and Nevada Counties through three physical campuses — Auburn (primary), Grass Valley, and Truckee — plus two county jail facilities. Its portfolio is organized into six core product lines: GED preparation, High School Diploma (delivered via Edmentum self-paced curriculum in classroom-plus-online format), English as a Second Language (ESL), Foundational Skills (Reading/Math using Reading Horizons Elevate, Aztec A Tutor, and Northstar Digital Literacy), Career Technical Education (Clinical Medical Assistant, Class A CDL truck driving via Western Pacific Truck School, Welding, QuickBooks/Bookkeeping, Administrative Assisting, Google Career Certificates, and Drone Piloting), Inmate Education, and Personal Enrichment. Technology infrastructure is anchored by Canvas LMS for course delivery, Edmentum and Reading Horizons platforms for adaptive self-paced learning, and an on-site Pearson VUE Authorized Testing Center that administers GED, Cisco, CompTIA, Microsoft, CBEST/CSET, and AWS certification exams.

The institution is funded primarily through California Adult Education Program (CAEP) allocations via the Sierra Joint Consortium and through federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title II AEFLA grants, which together underwrite tuition-free core academic programs (ESL, HSD, GED, Foundational Skills, Inmate Education) and digital literacy offerings. Revenue-generating streams are confined to fee-based CTE and Personal Enrichment courses (with $10 refund processing fees), Pearson VUE testing transactions, GED exam vouchers ($41 per subject) and GED Ready practice tests ($6.99 per subject). No tuition is collected on the free-program cohort. GTM is direct-to-consumer through three campuses, the ASAP Connected registration portal, and YouTube/Facebook/LinkedIn organic channels, augmented by community-led partnerships with employers (workplace ESL/skills), Sheriff's Offices (jail programming), consortium members (Sierra College, Roseville Adult School), and organizations including the Latino Leadership Council and United Auburn Indian Community. WASC accreditation (six-year status, since 2012) provides regulatory validation for transcript transferability. PSA operates with 51–100 employees, serves roughly 2,000 students annually across 249+ courses, and is governed by Placer Union High School District with no external private ownership or venture funding.

Name

Placer School for Adults

Legal name

Placer School for Adults

Website

https://placeronline.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1957

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Placer School for Adults is a public adult education institution in Auburn, California, serving roughly 2,000 adult learners annually across Auburn, Grass Valley, and Truckee campuses (plus county jail facilities) with free and low-cost GED preparation, high school diploma, ESL, career technical education, and personal enrichment programs under WASC accreditation and WIOA/CAEP funding.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Adult Education

NAICS

Educational Services (61), All Other Schools and Instruction (61169), Educational Support Services (611710)

SIC

Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

GED/HiSET Preparation & Instruction (EDAAABAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Credit Recovery & Alternative Adult High School (EDAAABAC), Special Populations ASE (Reentry/Corrections, Homeless, Refugee/Immigrant, Foster/Justice-Involved) (EDAAABAI), Online/Hybrid ASE Programs & Virtual Classrooms (EDAAABAG)

Keywords

• Adult education services
• Career technical training
• ESL instruction
• GED preparation
• Workforce skills training

Headquarters

HQ city

Auburn

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. WIOA Title II AEFLA Funded Programs: Free adult education programs funded through Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA) Title II, including ESL, High School Diploma, GED, Foundational Skills, and Inmate Education programs. No fees collected from students for these programs.
2. Career Technical Education Programs: Fee-based CTE programs including truck driving, welding, medical assistant training, QuickBooks, notary public, and other vocational courses. Refund policy applies with $10 processing fee.
3. Pearson VUE Testing Services: Revenue from authorized testing center for certification exams including GED, professional certifications.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels6 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Placer School for Adults is a public adult education institution offering free and low-cost academic, vocational, and personal enrichment classes to adult learners across Auburn, Grass Valley, and Truckee campuses in Placer and Nevada Counties. Core offerings include High School Diploma, GED preparation, ESL, Foundational Skills, Career Technical Education (truck driving, welding, medical assistant, bookkeeping), and Inmate Education programs delivered in-person and online.

Product overview

Placer School for Adults is an adult education institution providing free and low-cost educational programs across multiple locations in Placer and Nevada Counties, California. The school operates as a multi-program organization offering a unified portfolio of academic and career-focused services. The core academic programs include GED Preparation, High School Diploma (via Edmentum self-paced online curriculum), English as a Second Language (ESL), and Foundational Skills (Reading and Math Foundations using platforms like Reading Horizons Elevate and Aztec A Tutor). Career Technical Education programs provide pathways to employment through certifications including Clinical Medical Assistant, Truck Driving (Western Pacific Truck School), Welding, Bookkeeping, Administrative Assisting, and Computer Skills. Google Career Certificates in Cybersecurity, Data Analytics, IT Support, Project Management, UX Design, and Digital Marketing are offered free. Personal Enrichment courses offer creative and life skills education. The school operates a Pearson VUE Testing Center, provides academic/career counseling, maintains a Career Center, and offers typing tests and transcript services. Programs are delivered through Canvas LMS with both in-person and online options across Auburn, Grass Valley, and Truckee campuses, plus inmate education in county jails. WIOA Title II AEFLA programs (ESL, High School Diploma, GED, Inmate Education) are provided free of charge.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• High School Diploma Program
• GED Preparation
• English as a Second Language (ESL)
• Foundational Skills
• Career Technical Education
• Personal Enrichment
• Inmate Education
• Testing Center Services
• Google Career Certificates
• Academic and Career Counseling

Quantifiable outcome

• 30% reduced recidivism for inmates participating in education programs
• +5 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration10 records

Feature4 records

Partnerships

21 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Western Pacific Truck SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaboration with Western Pacific Truck School for Class A CDL Tractor/Trailer Operator Program. Students complete 160-hour program including classroom/lab and field training for commercial driver's license. Classes held in Auburn. Call 1-800-333-1233 to register.
• Sierra CollegecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Sierra Joint Consortium for Adult Education. Provides pathways for students including potential college credit for welding courses and transitions to community college.
• Roseville Adult SchoolcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMember of Sierra Joint Consortium for Adult Education. Collaborates with Placer School for Adults to provide adult education programming in Placer County.
• Sierra Joint ConsortiumcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerOne of 72 consortia formed in California funded through CAEP (California Adult Education Program). Provides programs and services to adults in Placer and Nevada Counties. Partners include Placer School for Adults, Roseville Adult School, and Sierra College.
• Placer County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide educational programming to inmates at county jail facilities including GED, Adult Basic Education, High School Diploma, Workforce Readiness, CTE, and Parenting classes.
• Nevada County Sheriff's OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to provide educational programming to inmates at county jail facilities including GED, Adult Basic Education, High School Diploma, Workforce Readiness, CTE, and Parenting classes.
• Placer Union High School DistrictcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerParent school district providing oversight, administration, and resources for Placer School for Adults.
• Pearson VUEcoreTechnology or IntegrationAuthorized Pearson VUE Testing Center providing variety of certification exams including GED, Cisco, CompTIA, Microsoft, CBEST/CSET, and AWS.
• GooglecoreTechnology or IntegrationPartner to offer Google Career Certificates in cybersecurity, data analytics, digital marketing, IT support, project management, UX design, and Google AI Essentials. Free instructor-led and self-paced programs.
• Golden Sierra Job Training AgencyminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal workforce development partner serving Placer County with job training and employment services.
• California Department of RehabilitationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorState agency partnership for vocational rehabilitation services supporting adults with disabilities.
• Placer County Office of EducationminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCounty education office partnership for child care resources and referral services.
• Auburn Chamber of CommerceminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorLocal business community partnership for workforce development and employer connections.
• Latino Leadership CouncilminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCommunity organization partnership supporting Latino community access to adult education services.
• Placer County Employment ServicesminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorCounty employment services partnership for job seekers and workforce support.
• Placer County CorrectionscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for inmate education programs at county correctional facilities.
• Alliance for Workforce DevelopmentminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorWorkforce development partner serving Nevada County.
• Tahoe-Truckee Unified School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partnership for campus facilities at Truckee location.
• Nevada County Joint Union High School DistrictminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerSchool district partnership for adult education services in Nevada County.
• United Auburn Indian CommunityminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with local tribal community for education access.
• Cal EPIC (California Energy Power Innovation Collaborative)minorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorClean tech workforce development non-profit visiting Auburn campus to explore green careers with VR headsets and STEM kits, featuring training partnership with Rivian Automotive.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Khan Academy: Free online adult education platform offering foundational skills, college-prep, and career content that competes indirectly with PSA's GED prep, foundational skills, and ESL offerings — particularly for self-motivated learners who do not need in-person support.
• Western Pacific Truck School: PSA's strategic partner for the 160-hour Class A CDL Tractor/Trailer Operator Program. Comparable as a regulated commercial-driver training provider; included as a delivery/ecosystem peer rather than direct competitor.

Broad incumbents

• The Princeton Review: Established test prep and tutoring provider with GED preparation and adult learning offerings. Comparable to PSA in GED prep delivery but operates as a commercial online/onsite hybrid at much larger national scale.
• Goodwill Industries International: National nonprofit operating job training and adult education programs across hundreds of locations. Overlaps with PSA's career-technical and workforce readiness mission but at much larger scale and with broader retail-funded operating model.
• Kaplan: National test preparation provider offering GED prep, professional certifications, and career training programs. Overlaps with PSA's GED preparation and Pearson VUE-supported certification services, but at national scale and via online delivery.

Direct peers

• San Juan Adult Education: Sacramento-area CAEP-funded adult education provider offering ESL, GED, HSD, CTE, and career training through a similar consortium-based model. Comparable scale, program mix, and funding structure to PSA.
• Per Scholas: National nonprofit providing tuition-free technology and career training (IT, cybersecurity, software engineering) to adults from underserved communities. Comparable workforce-development mission and free-tuition model to PSA's CTE programs.
• Pasadena City College Noncredit Adult Education: California community college noncredit adult education division offering ESL, GED prep, CTE short-term vocational certificates, and career training — directly comparable to PSA's program mix under the same state funding regime.
• Roseville Adult School: Fellow member of the Sierra Joint Consortium with PSA, serving the same Northern California region with parallel adult education programs (HSD, GED, ESL, CTE). Operates under the same CAEP funding model, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• Sacramento City Unified Adult Education: Urban California adult education program serving adult learners with ESL, GED, HSD, and CTE under the same CAEP/WIOA framework as PSA, with similar Pearson VUE testing center and workforce partnerships.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCIHvqGJ_lp5n4QfaqnKjjMQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/PlacerSchoolForAdults
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/placer-school-for-adults
• Xx.com/placeronline

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles13 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Placer School for Adults