Raines Academy principal describes alternative school’s flexible program that helps students recover credits

KATY, Texas — Principal Richard Merriman reviewed Raines Academy’s Optional Flexible School Day Program (OFSDP) to the Katy ISD Board Monday, describing how the campus serves students who cannot attend a traditional 7:15 a.m.–2:35 p.m. day because of work, childcare, illness or other barriers. Merriman said OFSDP provides flexible instructional hours (7 a.m. to 6 p.m.), personalized learning plans and smaller class groupings. Students working on original credit or credit recovery typically attend in short blocks; a course often takes three–five weeks. Under the OFSDP attendance rules discussed with trustees, attendance accrual for funding begins after the first 45 minutes a student is in attendance, and instruction is counted by minutes thereafter. Merriman described campus practices that celebrate progress — he noted a campus tradition where each earned half‑credit is represented on a large campus “growth tree” — and he invited trustees to visit the campus. Board members praised Raines Academy’s model, discussed student work programs and suggested trustees schedule a campus learning walk. Why it matters: OFSDP is an authorized expulsion/alternative‑placement tool under Texas law and an intervention for at‑risk students who would otherwise be recorded as dropouts. It also allows the district to accrue attendance funding for instructional minutes that would be missed in a traditional snapshot attendance model. Next steps: The board received the annual OFSDP renewal application presentation; staff will complete the routine renewal paperwork with TEA and continue outreach to schedule trustee visits.