Proposal for LCPS Alternative High School Academic Year 2021-2022

Purpose: The purpose of this proposal is to offer an alternative high school option in Loudoun County Public Schools to support those students whose formal education has been interrupted by external and life challenging circumstances.

The primary student population is targeted to those who have experienced interruptions to their formal education and are most at risk for dropout of high school. The young adult students are experiencing or enduring the residual of many of life’s most difficult challenges such as: parenting and family responsibilities, socioeconomic pressures, the immigration process, and other social/emotional issues that take a students’ focus and motivation out of the classroom. These include students who may be pregnant or parenting, English language learners, older school-age students working toward a high school diploma, under-credited students based on age and grade level, and students who need a flexible program to accommodate work or family obligations.

Goals: 1. Provide time and attention to the personalized needs of the target population in a setting that provides the flexibility in creating a schedule to meet the unique needs of students. 2. Provide acceleration and/or additional time in meeting graduation requirements to meet the unique needs of students. 3. Allow for consideration of non-standard measurements of growth related to specific areas of progress after year 2 of existence.

Benefit to Students and LCPS: The Alternative High School is a targeted avenue to meet Tier 3 student needs between ages 16 and 22 by providing Tier 3 academic, behavior and attendance intervention placement for students with the potential to demonstrate and assess student growth in academics, career readiness, and school participation in a non-traditional manner.

Intended for students who have experienced interruptions to their formal education and are most at risk for dropout of high school

Criteria​ (one or more of the following) ● Out of sequence with cohort graduation requirements that cannot be addressed in a traditional school setting ● Struggles to pass required SOLs and required CTE credential ● Life altering situations that require a flexible educational setting (teen parents, homelessness, accommodate work or family obligations)

Any alternative high school would include the opportunity to apply for a state waiver to be held accountable under an alternative accreditation plan in order to meet the Standards of Accreditation (SOA) requirements in a manner that is customized to its students’ unique needs.

Traditional high schools do not have the option to apply for an alternative accreditation plan regardless of the number of Tier 3 students at their school.

The alternative high school would enhance our ability to address graduation completion index, drop out rate, and chronic absenteeism through alternative programming and the opportunity to apply to VDOE for an alternative accreditation plan in order to meet the Standards of Accreditation (SOA) requirements in a manner that is customized to the students’ unique needs.

Staffing Implications: The staffing required for an alternative high school would be the school principal, a school counselor, and teachers to accommodate the student schedules. Given the Tier 3 needs of the target population, staff strongly recommends an administrative assistant, a social worker, and a parent liaison who can support and assist the student and the family in a comprehensive manner.

● Principal (1.0 FTE) $171,324 ● Counselor (1.0 FTE) $ 109, 086 ● Teachers (10 FTE maximum, likely 5.8 FTE) $1,027,610 maximum, $596,014 likely ○ 10 FTE calculated based on approximately 60 students in 2021-2022 and a ratio identical to Douglass School Staffing standard of 9 students to 1 teacher ○ Potentially 4.2 FTE would transfer from PVHS or other high schools to the alternative high school, with an additional 5.8 new FTE needed ● EL or Special Education Teachers TBD based upon enrollment needs

DRAFT October 13, 2020 2

● Administrative Assistant (1.0 FTE) $50,525 ​(recommended) ● Social Worker (0.5 FTE) $64,132 ​(recommended) ● Parent Liaison (1.0 FTE hourly as needed) $52,330 ​(recommended)

The school would be located at Park View High School, allowing LCPS to utilize staffing from the Sterling area to shift to the new alternative high school. Some staffing (perhaps some general education teachers, EL teachers, and special education teachers) would be cost-neutral as students transfer to the alternative school from other high schools. The school would be added to the FY22 budget to meet the needs of our identified student population. Educational accommodations would be made for English Language Learners and students with Individualized Educational Plans.

Tasks and Timeline

Event Anticipated Date Date Completed

LCPS Graduation 2014- present ongoing Workgroup Meetings

Meetings with VDOE January 2020, February January, February, and 2020, October 2020 October 2020

Discussion with Curriculum September 16, 2020 September 16, 2020 and Instruction Committee

Information Item October 13, 2020 Presented to School Board

Potential Action Item for October 27, 2020 School Board

Meet with principals and By November 20, 2020 school counselors for initial Q and A

Student Referral to December 2020 through Alternative High School March 12, 2021 for current students with a rolling referral until at full capacity

FY22 Budget Information January 2021

DRAFT October 13, 2020 3 to School Board Staffing (Principal, counselor, teachers, parent liaison, social worker, administrative assistant) Materials/textbooks Per pupil expenditures (some expenditures may be cost neutral)

Application for new school No later than March 15, to VDOE 2021 (must be completed before Title I application is turned in)

Submit to VDOE Title I April 23, 2021 status

Hire Principal and School April 2021 for July 1 start Counselor date (once budget is approved or seek Board approval for earlier hire)

Hire staff and/or relocate April, May 2021 for staff 2021-22 school year

Meet with Transportation July 2021

Meet with Food Services July 2021

DRAFT October 13, 2020 4