Staff member, Program representative, said the Excel alternative education program has recorded rising graduation counts and is focused on helping students who fall behind credits catch up.

The representative said the program’s “ultimate mission” is to ensure on-time graduation and reported graduates increased from seven in the program’s first year and eight in the second year to 24 last year.

The program representative described Excel as a small program with four core teachers — math, science, social studies and language arts — and said a content expert is present for each course. “One size does not fit all,” the staff member said, describing the program as an alternative pathway for students whose regular school placements are not working. The representative added, “I will always believe that personal interactions and the relationships people have with kids will far outweigh any technology we can give them,” crediting teachers’ relationships with students for improved outcomes.

Program materials discussed in the meeting emphasized individualized academic support for students who are off track on credits and the school-year growth pattern that brings students into Excel as needs arise. No formal motions, votes or budget decisions related to the program were recorded in the transcript excerpts provided.

The representative said the program promotes and supports students “all steps towards graduation,” and framed growth as a measure of the staff’s work rather than a single intervention. Additional operational details — such as total current enrollment, funding sources, location within the school system, and formal measures of on-time graduation used — were not specified in the transcript.

The discussion in the transcript was limited to the program overview and staff perspective on what contributed to recent graduation increases; the excerpt does not record questions from board members, public comment, or administrative follow-up items.