ACE’s beginnings trace back to the 1940s, when the GED® exam was created to assist servicemen returning from World War II.  Those who had left school early to serve in the war were not able to finish high school, but passing the exam allowed them to continue to college and enter the job market with better opportunities.  In 1947, Leon County Schools began offering classes to prepare these veterans for the GED® exam.

GED® prep classes continued throughout the decades and became known as Adult Education.  Under the direction of Morris Brown in the 1980s, the school was named the Center for Community Education, offering an all-day adult high school program, after-school programs, and community classes like sewing, cooking, parenting, etc.

Classes were available throughout Tallahassee: at the Leon County Public Library, Lively Technical Center (now Lively Technical College), and at Northwood Mall (now Northwood Centre).

Because of an ever-growing need for adult education, Leon County Schools later organized all programs under Adult & Community Education School and gave it a campus at 283 Trojan Trail in the 1989-1990 school year.  The school was rebranded ACE in 1998, additions were made to the campus, and new programs were offered: including Adults with Disabilities and Senior Adults.  In 2017, ACE relocated to 526 Appleyard Drive, sharing a campus with Lively and adding the Transition program.

Patricia “Pete” McDonald (1983-1993), Barbara Van Camp (1993-2013), and Regina Browning (2014-present) have led ACE throughout the years to become the area’s leading provider of adult education services.  Offering GED® prep, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Adults with Disabilities, Transition, Adult High School, and Co-Enrollment programs, it is the school’s mission to empower individuals 16 and older to become self-sufficient, contributing members of the community.  Our alumni include entrepreneurs, military officers, chefs, educators, aviator mechanics, and many others in successful careers.  Always evolving to meet our area’s needs and with strong community partnerships to support our students, ACE continues the legacy of providing quality adult education for Leon County and the greater Big Bend community.