Richfield’s alternative program reports higher enrollment, focused home-visit strategy to reengage students

Richfield — At a Richfield Public School District board meeting, staff from the Richfield College Experience Program (RCEP) reported increased enrollment this year and outlined a structured progress-monitoring system and home-visit strategy that program staff said helped reengage students and prevent withdrawals.

The program presentation, led by Dr. Keisha Wilhite and counselor Cassie Acosta Cano, said RCEP started the year with about 85 students, most in 11th and 12th grades, and that roughly 90–91% of students identify as Black, Indigenous or people of color (BIPOC). Wilhite said the program’s parent/guardian survey completion approached 32% overall, and staff survey completion was about 75% for program personnel.

RCEP staff described a tiered attendance and progress-monitoring model. Teachers and advisors handle outreach when students miss three to five days; counselors and social workers join outreach at six to nine days missed, and more intensive team interventions occur once absences exceed 10 days. Counselor Cassie Acosta Cano said home visits are used when students fall into those higher tiers: “We bring postcards with us, and we just visit students,” she said, adding that staff explain visits on enrollment so families know what to expect.

Program staff reported at least 60 home visits so far this year and estimated they would reach 80–90 by year end. Acosta Cano said 22 students returned to engagement within 48 hours of a visit, and staff estimated that about eight potential drops were prevented through outreach. She described other wraparound supports delivered during visits, including food, bus cards and device chargers, and said staff sometimes met students at libraries or other community locations to help with credit recovery work.

Wilhite described technical supports that feed a live spreadsheet showing students’ credits, attendance and progress toward graduation. At the board presentation she cited midyear graduation numbers: 13 graduates as of April 21, with other students distributed across credit bands (examples given: up to five credits remaining: 15 students; five to 10 credits: 16; 10 to 15 credits: 10). She also said RCEP emphasizes recognition of multilingual students through the Seal of Biliteracy; staff reported 53 world language certificates expected at graduation (29 gold seals, 15 platinum seals) and 11 pending scores.

Board members praised the team’s outreach and credited changes in progress monitoring and credit recovery approaches with improved retention. Wilhite attributed growth to several factors including closer alignment with state alternative-education guidance, credit-recovery approaches that capture prior learning (credit by assessment), creative elective credit opportunities, and sustained outreach to keep students engaged.

Program staff said they use campus and community visits, elective projects (sewing, horticulture, arts), and social-emotional activities such as ropes-course and service projects to build relationships and interest in postsecondary pathways. The presentation noted the program serves a high share of English learners (reported at about 39%) and that staff actively track credits in real time to find and support students at risk of dropping out.

Board members asked about causes of enrollment growth and whether referrals from Richfield High School had increased; staff said growth was likely a mix of new junior referrals and improved retention through outreach and technical changes.

The board did not take formal action on the program during the meeting; the presentation was provided for information and questions.