National School Choice Week Shines a Light on Dropout Recovery and Job Skills Training as Educational Options for At-Risk Students
LANCASTER, Calif., Jan. 22, 2018 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Did you know that some educational programs that help pregnant teens, dropouts and juveniles in the court system earn a high school diploma while receiving job skills training are found at charter schools? It's true. But many people don't realize that charters are much more than just schools catering to academically advanced students or offering a college preparation curriculum. The focus on charter schools during National School Choice Week gives us an opportunity to take a closer look at some alternative education programs.
Learn4Life is one such alternative program in California and Ohio. It's a dropout-recovery program that helps at-risk students earn credits toward graduation while learning work readiness skills to prepare them for a future after high school. Learn4Life has nearly 30 exclusive WIOA (Workforce Innovation and Opportunities Act) partnerships that allow it to offer students paid internships and job placement support with courses in career exploration, customer service skills, interviewing and professional conduct.
Most Learn4Life students enroll at 17 or 18 years old and are more than a year behind in credits. Many students deal with multiple obstacles that make it hard to succeed in traditional high school, such as poverty, hunger, homelessness, pregnancy, incarceration and special needs. So Learn4Life has developed a model to help students overcome these specific types of challenges.
Personalized Learning – Staff members assess student skill levels and learning modalities, then create a customized curriculum and academic action plan for each student.
One-on-One Attention – Each student is paired with a supervising teacher, free tutors, and counselors who provide mentorship and guidance to help students navigate issues outside of the classroom.
Flexibility – The adult responsibilities that many students have to manage make it difficult to attend school eight hours a day. Students can complete their assignments at home or at resource centers, and even bring their children to school.
A Safe Environment – There is controlled and secure access at the resource centers, providing a safe and welcoming environment that minimizes stress and opportunities for bullying.
And this model is working. Eighty-six percent of Learn4Life students are successful – either graduating from the program or continuing in pursuit of a diploma. For more information about Learn4Life and the thousands of at-risk students who have graduated, visit www.learnfourlife.org.
About Learn4Life
Founded in 2001, Learn4Life is a nonprofit workforce innovation partner that offers a free high school diploma and job skills training program for at-risk students. Its unique model includes personalized learning, flexibility, one-on-one attention and job readiness programs that help students prepare for a future beyond high school. Learn4Life serves more than 40,000 students across California and in Ohio. For more information, please visit www.learnfourlife.org.
Note: photos available upon request
MEDIA CONTACT
Ann Abajian, Learn4Life
(844) 515-8186
[email protected]
SOURCE Learn4Life
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