Dr. Howard Liebman, CEO and Superintendent of Smart Horizons Career Online Education (SHCOE), and Octavio J. Visiedo, former Superintendent of Schools for Miami-Dade County, announce the launch of Ascend Career Academy. SHCOE has partnered with a distinguished group of educational professionals based in South Florida to establish Ascend Career Academy, an AdvancED/SACS-accredited, online high school. This unique partnership with SHCOE is a way of creating a pathway of viable academic and career alternatives for students. In addition to serving Florida students, Ascend Career Academy will work with legislatures, mid- and large-size school districts, businesses, community organizations, and juvenile justice programs to offer the program nationwide. There are also plans to enroll international students. Ascend Career Academy will make a special effort to reach out to and address the needs of minority students. Smart Horizons Career Online High School is the leading Internet-based career high school program for correctional institutions in the United States. Since its launch in Florida Department of Corrections prisons, it has proven effective in delivering highly secure, performance-based, teacher-supported instruction to inmates with limited educational backgrounds.