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District seeks DESE waiver for RISE night program pilot targeting older students at risk of dropping out
Summary
The board approved a waiver request to let a RISE Academy evening pilot count structured evening and asynchronous hours toward DESE-required learning time; the pilot targets 40 students and is intended to serve older students working day jobs or needing a flexible schedule.
The Lawrence board approved a student-learning-time waiver on Feb. 26 that will allow the district to run a second-semester pilot of a RISE Academy evening program for approximately 40 students who are at risk of dropping out or need a nontraditional schedule.
Carlos Cordero, principal of RISE Academy, told the board the night program is designed for students who work daytime shifts or have other obligations that make the traditional 8 a.m.–3 p.m. schedule infeasible. "This night program was developed to help students with flexibility for school hours," Cordero said. "This pilot program is targeting 40 students." The planned schedule is in-person instruction Tuesday through Thursday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m., plus asynchronous work and recorded or volunteer activities on Mondays and Fridays.
DESE requires Massachusetts public high schools to provide 990 hours of student-learning time. District staff explained the evening pilot, as scheduled for the remainder of the school year, would fall short of 990 hours without DESE approval because of the late start; the administration estimated the pilot would produce roughly 824 hours under the proposed second-semester schedule and therefore requested the waiver to count the structured evening and asynchronous activities toward the required hours.
Cordero described program features the board heard about: certified teachers assigned across core content areas (English, math, science, social studies plus ELL and special-education support), a partnership coordinator to verify work and volunteer hours, and an intention to expand the program after the pilot if it proves successful. "There’s definitely a need out there," Cordero said, noting many prospective students work full time during the day and that the pilot aims to reengage students who had dropped out.
Board members asked how hours and volunteer work will be tracked; Cordero said a partnership coordinator will coordinate weekly with employers and volunteer sites to document hours. Administrators also told the board the district will submit another waiver for the next school year if they expand the program.
Why it matters: The RISE night program is intended to create an alternate pathway to a diploma for older students with jobs, parenting responsibilities or other barriers to daytime attendance. The pilot also tests a model other districts use to reengage students and reduce dropouts.
What’s next: The waiver was approved by the board and staff will file the waiver with DESE and begin the second-semester pilot. RISE will track attendance, in-person instructional minutes and documented work/volunteer hours and report outcomes to district leadership.
