Staff Report
BUDA — A program at Live Oak Academy is striving to help non-traditional students successfully graduate.
In a 6-0 vote, the Hays CISD Board of Trustees approved an application for an optional flexible school day program for Live Oak Academy. Trustee Will McManus was not present for the meeting.
The Optional Flexible School Day Program (OFSDP) would serve students who are at risk of dropping out, did not complete high school on a Hays CISD campus within four years of their initial enrollment into ninth grade, or want to return to complete the work needed to earn a diploma.
The goal of the program is to provide a flexible school day option to meet the needs of non-traditional students who work to support themselves or their families, have children, are behind in credits or have been unsuccessful at their previous campus.
The district’s intent with the program is to improve student performance by increasing the number of students successfully completing courses, thus reducing the dropout rate at all high schools; increase student attendance and/or re-enrollment; and provide effective transition services to post-secondary education and their career of choice.
The idea is that the flexible schedule will increase opportunities for students to complete required core academic coursework, graduate and move forward with college and career options.
The program would also allow the district to still receive attendance funding if a student receives instruction for at least 45 minutes on a school day.
The OFSDP schedule for students will be from 8:50 a.m. until 7 p.m. Monday through Friday. There will be a full-time teacher who is counseling certified to support students, as well as a counselor who will meet with students for academic support on a monthly basis. A college and career counselor will also be available at least two days a week to help students with testing and registration for future academic endeavors.
Following the unanimous board approval on the item, the district will now submit an application to the Texas Education Agency (TEA) in order to implement the program.
