After its first full school year in operation,
the Westwood Ombudsman program for at-risk students has announced that 39
students, or 100 percent of its senior class, graduated this year, and the
program will expand to accommodate more Wayne County students next year.
The Westwood program was featured in an
article in the Winter 2007 issue of Michigan Education Report ("District hires
company to provide alternative education"). Westwood Community Schools had just
contracted with Ombudsman Educational Services, a private company based in
Illinois, to provide computer-assisted alternative education to a consortium of
area public school districts. During the initial year, the program enrolled 60
students in grades nine through 12 who were at risk of dropping out or not
graduating.
The program will expand next year to offer
alternative education to 30 additional students throughout Wayne County.
Currently, the Westwood Ombudsman program serves students attending Westwood
High School, Annapolis High School, Crestwood High School, Dearborn Public
Schools and South Redford School District.
"These students would probably not have
graduated this year except for the support of the Ombudsman program," Ernando F.
Minghine, Westwood superintendent, was quoted in a press release announcing the
graduation. "Partnering with Ombudsman has provided outstanding results for our
students who now have the opportunity to be responsible for their own learning
to achieve great success."
The Westwood partnership was Ombudsman’s first
foray into the Michigan education Market. In an arrangement among the various
districts involved, all of the Ombudsman students enrolled at Westwood, and
Westwood used the state aid it received for those students to pay Ombudsman. The
students complete computer-based classes at their own pace in core academic
subjects. Teachers are available for assistance and also for initial assessment
of each student, as well as guiding students in certain off-computer projects.
Ombudsman is a division of Educational
Services of America, a national provider of special and alternative education
programs. Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, it
cites an 85 percent success rate among its student body, with success defined
as: graduating from Ombudsman or from a local school district, successfully
re-entering a local school program; advancing to the next level in the Ombudsman
program.
"Students drop out of school for a variety of
reasons," Mark Claypool, president and CEO of ESA, said. "Some students have to
work to support their families. Some feel they are too far behind academically
to catch up and others feel they just don’t fit in at their school."
"Ombudsman Educational Services provides
students an alternate route to earn a high school diploma in a learning
environment that’s right for them," Claypool said. "For many students, the right
environment includes personalized instruction in a small classroom with flexible
schedules that accommodate their family and work responsibilities."
Ombudsman has partnerships with more than 120
school districts across the country. Its learning centers are typically located
within the school districts they serve, but away from the campuses.
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Lorie Shane is the managing editor of the Michigan Education Report, the Mackinac Center’s education policy journal. Permission to reprint in whole or in part is hereby granted, provided that Michigan Education Report is properly cited.