Manhattan High to pilot alternative learning environment to boost graduation efforts

Manhattan High School staff told the Manhattan-Ogden USD 383 Board of Education they will pilot an Alternative Learning Environment, or ALE, in 2025–26 aimed at students at risk of dropping out and those who benefit from smaller, more personalized instruction.

The program will be cost neutral to the district, officials said, funded by at-risk dollars already allocated to Manhattan High and intended to supplant the district's existing night school program. Nicole Jones, the high school's MTSS coordinator, told the board the ALE will focus on “smaller class sizes, smaller student population, and a more personalized learning environment,” and that it will combine online and in-person instruction so students can pursue credit acquisition and credit recovery while accessing career pathways and support services.

The ALE pilot will use the high school bell and weekly schedule so students have access to district transportation,…