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Fremont Re-1 reports higher GED completions, ongoing attendance and behavior challenges at ChoicePoints program
Summary
District staff gave an annual report on ChoicePoints, the district's alternative learning program, citing rising GED completions and credit recovery successes alongside irregular attendance, increased middle-school enrollment and substance-use and social-emotional concerns.
Fremont Re-1 staff presented an annual report on ChoicePoints, the district's alternative education program, summarizing enrollment patterns, academic outcomes and behavioral challenges.
The presentation outlined that ChoicePoints serves students on half-day schedules, students in deferred-expulsion status, teen parents and others who need flexible or individualized instruction. Staff reported that GED completions have been strong over the past two years and that credit recovery and early graduation are program strengths, with several students moving back to full high-school enrollment after participating.
Program staff described a rise in middle-school referrals this year and said the program is not configured primarily for middle-school students, which has created curricular and supervision challenges. Staff also reported that attendance is highly variable, with days ranging from five to 20 students in attendance and some students attending irregularly, which complicates instruction and tracking.
School staff identified substance use and related behaviors as a growing problem across grade levels, including vaping and marijuana use, and said those trends compound mental-health and classroom-management concerns. Staff described safety plans for a small number of students this year and said they coordinate with counselors and other supports when needed.
Staff described a range of academic supports the program provides: in-person half-day attendance options combined with high-school electives, individualized math supports (many students were described as multiple grade levels behind in math), one-on-one help from paraprofessionals, and use of both online curriculum and traditional paper-based materials for students who struggle with online learning.
The report also highlighted outreach and community-building activities designed to improve attendance and engagement, including meals, holiday gifts, recreational activities and celebrations that staff said help foster relationships and retention. Staff emphasized the program's role in keeping students connected to graduation pathways and described a high success rate for students who complete the GED or return to the diploma track.
The board did not take formal action on the report; board members thanked staff for the presentation and for work to support high-need students.
Provocation and next steps described during the presentation included continuing to adapt curriculum and supervision for younger students, tracking attendance more closely, and coordinating counselor access more frequently than the current once-a-week model.
