Alternative schools working for potential high school dropouts

And, it didn’t take an age 18 dropout law to make it happen

Good news is starting to come in from several districts that have set up alternative high school programs for students in danger of dropping out of traditional programs.

On May 31, the Hopkins County Schools Academy held its first commencement, with 33 of the 45 students enrolled scheduled to receive their regular high school diploma.

This alternative school takes in students who are behind on graduation credits and those who need individualized programs (which could include students who have to work and single mothers, for example). The program is computer-based. The academy reports several more students may be added to the graduation roll by the end of the summer.

And, it didn’t take a law requiring school attendance to age 18 to make Hopkins Academy work.

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Are we about to create more school “dumping grounds” for students and staff?

With action pending in both houses of the Kentucky legislature to create more alternative schools and maybe raise the minimum dropout age to 18 as a way to fight high dropout rates, recent comments from Education Commissioner Terry Holliday provide a warning that just creating these schools isn’t enough.

Holliday told Ryan Alessi at cn2 on Monday that the state needs a law to prevent alternative schools from just becoming dumping grounds for students and even teachers.

Apparently, Holliday has seen the evidence of this problem already, but he feels powerless to act.

Well, somebody better act, especially if we are going to create a lot more potential for abuse, which would most definitely include the taxpayer, if all we wind up doing is creating age 18 dropouts instead of age 16 ones.