Heather (staff member) told the Scott County Board of Education on a student achievement agenda item that the district’s alternative programming is an “interconnected system” designed to keep students enrolled and on track to graduate.

The report said the continuum currently serves about 450 learners across programs: Scola, the district online academy, serves 337 students; PHC (Phoenix Horizon Center), the voluntary in-person alternative school, serves 92 students; SCAP (Scott County Alternative Placement) has 11 students (10 long-term, 1 short-term); and homebound instruction is serving about 10 students. The presentation credited embedded on-site mental-health partners for reducing missed classes and stabilizing attendance.

Why it matters: board members heard that the district is trying to provide multiple pathways so students who struggle in traditional classrooms can continue earning credits, reengage with academics and access counseling without leaving campus.

Supervisor Heather (staff member) described operational partnerships that help make the model work. She named two local partners, Josh True and Christy Collins, who helped by providing a bus and resolving lunch scheduling so students could access on-campus mental-health counseling from Mountain Comprehensive Care and Ignition. “These services that are provided on campus result in fewer missed classes and fewer missed appointments,” Heather said.

SCAP details. Kelly Lee, identified in the presentation as the SCAP principal, has overseen the program’s expansion and daily operations. Each high school in the district is allotted six SCAP slots and each middle school three; the district also holds additional placements for alternative disciplinary pathways. Students who complete long-term SCAP typically must reach 45 “successful days,” the presentation said, and staff follow a credit-recovery and transition plan tailored to individual students. The report included two early successes: one student completed SCAP and applied to BCTC; another connected to a KentuckyWorks apprenticeship and is planning graduation with a PHC diploma.

Scola (online academy). The presentation said Scola currently serves 337 students, roughly 100 more than this time last year and close to the district’s year-end enrollment in 2024 (about 360). Staff described a “modified” intervention model in which students behind in coursework meet in-person twice weekly with an intervention teacher; that work, Heather said, helped the district keep course-completion and funding rates high. The district pulls participation data weekly and notifies families when students are not meeting course criteria.

PHC (Phoenix Horizon Center). The board heard PHC has strengthened daily routines and career-readiness classes, added media-arts and leadership programming, and increased employer and postsecondary outreach (Toyota, Paul Mitchell School, BCTC). Tommy Fitzpatrick (staff member) and program teachers have recruited guest speakers and planned field trips to connect students to careers and college pathways. Board members were told many PHC students value their spots and that earlier outreach has built a steady referral pipeline.

Program coordination and data. Heather said staff run a Friday data pull to identify students who need immediate intervention, and SCAP staff maintain dashboards and regular communication with sending schools about student progress. The presentation emphasized that the programs are intended to be “connective” rather than isolated services.

What the board asked. Board members asked about completion criteria for SCAP (confirmed as 45 successful days for long-term completion, with short-term placements starting at five days and extendable), whether students return to prior schools (staff said most do not seek to return immediately), and whether Scola students from outside districts remain eligible for activities and athletics (staff confirmed enrolled students can participate in extracurriculars).

Ending: presenters asked the board to continue support for the interconnected model, saying the programs are “more than just programming — it’s an impact,” and asked for continued collaboration with community partners to expand apprenticeships and on-campus supports.