Board backs feasibility study for alternative/substance-use school; members emphasize apprenticeship and career-readiness work

Board members expressed support July 17 for a feasibility study to explore an alternative/substance-use school model for students needing wraparound supports, emphasizing that grant funding would be required before program implementation.

A board member said the feasibility work "will give us opportunity to really look at the growth that we have here in the county to expand that program and serve all of our students in a better format," and acknowledged that "the grant money might not be there" and the district "wouldn't do it unless we had the grant money." The speaker encouraged visiting existing programs (one mentioned in Chesterfield) to inform local planning.

Separately, board members reported that Reno County Schools was selected as one of 24 groups to participate in the Future of High Schools network (a Carnegie Foundation-related grant opportunity). Participants, including the deputy superintendent and executive director of secondary education, visited Palo Alto and were partnered with Piper Academy in Kansas City to observe models for internships, apprenticeships and real-world learning experiences. The board described offering apprenticeships and internships as a goal to expand opportunities for high school students.

The feasibility study was placed on the board's consent/approved items; board members thanked staff for the work and flagged the need to secure grant funding and to plan site visits before moving to implementation.