Dropout Recovery Schools Give Students a 2nd Chance
By Melody Chalkley Winfree Academy
Texas Insider Report: AUSTIN Texas Legislation has been filed in the Texas House of Representatives to clarify the mission & measurement of Dropout Recovery Schools. HB 1311 by doctor & State Rep. Mark Shelton (R-Ft. Worth) spells out that high schools with a majority of at-risk students (75 or more) can get credit for students that graduate in 5 or 6 years. In addition it does not penalize these schools for serving overage students (ages 17 to 26) or for serving a large percentage of special education or bilingual education students.
Nor does penalize them for trying to help students that unfortunately only stay at their school for a month.
Everyone makes mistakes. Unfortunately for students that dropout of high school this choice can affect the rest of their life. Dropouts make significantly less money than those with a high school diploma have fewer options in the workplace and often have a harder time providing for their family or achieving their dreams.
Dropout recovery schools are public schools have been set up with the singular focus of helping dropouts and students likely to dropout of school. Both traditional public schools and charter schools operate dropout recovery schools that educate students up to age 26.
Dropout recovery schools give students a second chance by helping them retake courses learn at their own pace and provide a flexible schedule that allows students to balance school and other responsibilities such as working or parenting a child.
Students across Texas are working to improve themselves and the direction of their life by attending and graduating from dropout recovery schools. Many times it takes them longer than four years to graduate from high school. Yet the state accountability system does not acknowledge them as a graduate if they
take five or six years to graduate.
HB 1311 makes it easier for charters to expand their dropout recovery high schools if they meet both financial and academic state standards.
Consider the story of an unwed single mom who needed a second chance.
Carleigh was raised by parents addicted to drugs and alcohol. By age 13 she was experimenting with drugs and alcohol herself.
Eventually Carleigh became addicted to drugs. This bad decision led to skipping school dropping out of school getting pregnant getting evicted and Child Protective Services take her child away.
After living at a homeless shelter Carleigh hit rock bottom and decided to turn her life around. She quit using drugs got a job at a fast food restaurant and got her own apartment.
Then at the age 22 Carleigh began attending Winfree Academy a dropout recovery charter school. A year later Carleigh received her high school diploma!
Helping dropouts return to school and graduate is a win-win for everyone. Students will have more opportunities in the workplace and taxpayers save money on public assistance programs and incarceration costs.
There is also a significant long-term savings to the state of Texas in terms of higher taxable wages and sales tax revenue.
Dropouts and students at-risk of dropping out deserve a second chance. Dropout recovery schools provide students that second chance.
In order for dropout recovery schools and educators to serve more at-risk students the state accountability system needs to support schools serving this challenging population.
Melody Chalkley is founder of Winfree Academy a charter school 
based in Irving Texas with campuses in Denton Grapevine Irving Lewisville North Richland Hills & Richardson Texas. Visit WinfreeAcademy.coms website to learn more.
About Winfree Academy: Winfree Academy offers students an alternative to the traditional public school model by allowing students to work at their own pace in a safe and supportive environment.
The school understands that todays students are faced with multiple social and emotional challenges that must be addressed in order to support their successful path to graduation and life after high school. Winfree Academy operates six public charter schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth area that serve at-risk high school students. College Career & Character preparation are key components of the schools mission.
