Adults who want to get their high school diploma have new option in Fort Worth
New Heights Adult High School will open a second location soon to provide more opportunity for adults who want to earn high school diplomas and certifications at no cost.
The school will open Oct. 20 at 3908 McCart Ave. in southwest Fort Worth, at the former Applied Learning Academy.
New Heights opened its first school Sept. 3, 2024, at 5901 Fitzhugh Ave. in the Stop Six neighborhood.
The school sprang from Senate Bill 2032, passed in spring 2023, which allows entities to create agreements between nonprofits, community colleges and adult charter schools to form adult high schools. The school allows adults 18 to 50 years old to simultaneously earn a high school diploma and certification in one of at least 10 career and technical programs.
Enrollment at the Fitzhugh Avenue location surged to 899 students for all four terms last school year. New Heights planned to expand and took over the property on McCart Avenue from Fort Worth ISD this month in a 10-year lease. New Heights will have an option to extend it for five years after the lease ends.
“This facility was going to be vacant, so this was part of the conversations about how Fort Worth ISD still wants to remain in this community, to serve this community. So this is a way for us to bring education to the community in an adult high school,” Valerie Swift, vice president of growth development at New Heights Adult High School, told the Star-Telegram.
The new location will have 15 classrooms, nine offices, six other rooms, and a Learning Center. Similar to the Fitzhugh Avenue location, it will have a student lounge area, called the Odyssey, which will be a space for students to congregate, have celebrations, and host special activities.
The building is undergoing renovations, including new paint, lighting, floors, window treatments, and New Heights branding.
People interested in signing up for classes can go to the New Heights website to enroll and choose the McCart location.
Classes start Oct. 20, with a grand opening celebration in early November. The new location will start with the incoming class taking prerequisite classes in October before starting core classes the following term in January. Students from the Stop Six location can begin in the McCart Avenue location in January.
The school will operate like a college, with eight-week terms and an accelerated curriculum. Classes are in person, and there are multiple schedule options for weekday and day or night classes, based on the students’ needs. New Heights is free of charge.
Personal advising and coaching is available to help students with scheduling, along with classes on career choices and exploration, financial literacy and personal communication. There will be individual graduation plans, and supportive services to help students arrange childcare, mental health services, and transportation.
This story was originally published August 28, 2025 at 3:58 PM.
