LOCAL & STATE
John Neal, The Oklahoma Eagle
Illustration, The Oklahoma Eagle
Tulsa Public Schools is offering a free summer program for recent high school dropouts and struggling students to get a diploma. The credit recovery program enables students to complete or make up coursework working online at their own pace, with help from certified teachers based in north Tulsa. The Bridge to Graduation program is open to former high school seniors from two years ago (2021-22) to current high school students who are behind on course credits.
The program is open until September 30, 2024 and is tailored to meet each student’s individual needs. The online credit recovery program is offered at North Star Academy, 525 E. 46th N. The center is open from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. on weekdays. Appointments are also available on Friday evenings or via Zoom, with flexible hours. Teacher advisors will assist students in meeting graduation requirements and master course material provided online.
In unveiling the unique program, TPS cited a U.S. Career Institute study showing that Oklahoma high school graduates earn $6,000 more annually than non-graduates. Over one hundred current or former students are enrolled, and the Academy can accept hundreds more. Students can work part- or full-time at home or using a Wi-Fi hotspot for easy access to teacher assistance.
Interested individuals can sign up for the program at the North Star Academy, apply online click here to access the application., or obtain more information by emailing N. Dennis at dennini@tulsaschools.org or R. Rabovsky at rabovre@tulsaschols.org.
How the program works
Dr. Nicolette (Nikki) C. Dennis, TPS Director of Graduation Outcomes, provided more detail on how the program works. Noting that the pandemic and its aftermath disrupted the education of many students, Tulsa Public Schools created a special program to assist students in making up classwork credits by studying online at their own pace. Family circumstances do not allow all students to go to school full-time. The North Star Academy and its unique summer hours opening are designed to meet that need.
The program created by TPS and funded by a state grant allows students (9-12th grades) and recent high school dropouts to recover course credits they may need to secure a diploma. The online coursework offered through the Academy covers “almost all traditional high school classes,” Dennis told the Eagle.
Dennis added that while online learning can be initially challenging, it has some unique advantages. Teachers can help students master online skills and learn at their own pace and at their chosen time. This can even make the coursework seem easier.
“This is about not giving up on kids. Not every kid can learn face-to-face. Some need more time,” she said. “Virtual school provides academic content when family circumstances, such as part-time work, do not permit a student to come to school.”
Dennis told The Oklahoma Eagle that students can work as little or as much as they want in the summer program to obtain course credits. She said it is ambitious but possible for a dedicated student to cover 12 classes and earn as many as six credits in the summer program.
“I’ve seen that done,” she said, noting that 23 credits are required for high school graduation in Oklahoma.
TPS efforts
This program is part of a multifaceted effort by Tulsa Public Schools, led by Superintendent Dr. Ebony Johnson, to boost student academic achievements. TPS created the innovative program and secured a special $285,000 grant from the Oklahoma State Department of Education (OSDE) to fund it. This is only one example of the special resources Johnson has secured for the Tulsa school district. News Analysis: Public School Leader Johnson Wins Over Walters and State Education Board – The Oklahoma Eagle (https://theokeagle.com/2024/06/11/news-analysis-public-school-leader-johnson-wins-over-walters-and-state-education-board/)
However, TPS faces many difficulties in achieving the new academic achievement goals mandated by the state education board. Johnson has told the state board that chronic absenteeism is an obstacle for TPS and a significant factor impeding graduation rates.
OSDE State Report Card data reflect that chronic absenteeism impacts more than half of Tulsa High School students. McLain High School near North Star Academy has the highest chronic absenteeism rate among all Tulsa high schools.
The Bridge to Graduation program aims to boost graduation rates. Flexible attendance opportunities are one tool to address absenteeism. In 2022-23, TPS lagged behind the Oklahoma state graduation rates by 10 percentage points, graduating only 70 percent within the traditional four-year period. However, over six years, TPS came much closer to the state average, having graduated 82 percent, according to OSDE data.
Dennis, a 30-year TPS veteran, cited her life experience as an example of overcoming graduation obstacles. She said earning her doctorate took her longer than the prescribed period, “but I still have Ed.S. following my name.”
Eighty percent of TPS students are economically disadvantaged, which is a big handicap in completing coursework in the traditional time frame. Dennis said the seven alternative schools in TPS, including the North Star Academy, give students other approaches to graduation. She also noted that TPS had policies that encourage students to stay in school longer if necessary to secure their diplomas.
North Star had 308 students enrolled last year. Dennis expects that number to grow, particularly as some summer students may choose to continue the summer program into the fall semester.
“The North Star Academy was placed in north Tulsa to serve the northside community. I truly believe education can change the world,” Dennis said.
