Back on track: Evaluating the impact of the Opportunity program

Education leaders have turned to alternative schools and classroom settings for help as students continue to fail classes and fall behind in acquiring the required units for graduation. Alternative programs, such as Opportunity Education, help at-risk students make academic progress, recover graduation units, learn appropriate classroom behavior, reintegrate into the comprehensive high school setting, and graduate from a comprehensive high school. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the impact of participation in the Opportunity Program on student academic success. Data included graduation units recovered, graduation requirements met in the comprehensive or alternative setting, attendance rates, and length of time spent in alternative education. Findings indicate that students in the Opportunity program did not recover sufficient graduation units while enrolled but did improve daily school attendance during and after exit from the program. The majority of students enrolled in the Opportunity program did not return to the comprehensive high school setting, sustain academic progress, or graduate on time with their four-year cohort. At-risk factors continued to influence students' academic progress after intervention