Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Alternative Education topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Cuyahoga Falls educators propose 'Black Tiger Academy' to help credit‑deficient students return to graduation track
Summary
District leaders proposed a cost‑neutral, half‑day intervention program — the Black Tiger Academy — targeting chronically absent or credit‑deficient high‑school students. Presenters outlined eligibility criteria, a mix of teacher‑supported Admentum classes and counseling, and plans to pilot at the high school with cohorts of about 15.
The Cuyahoga Falls City School District on June 30 heard a detailed proposal for a new alternative‑learning program called the Black Tiger Academy, designed to help students who are behind in credits or struggling with chronic absenteeism catch up and re‑enter the traditional school day.
Associate principal Christa Kohage and a colleague outlined a half‑day, cohort‑based model that would split students into morning and afternoon sessions to allow juniors and seniors to fold in career‑based interventions and for underclassmen to focus on goal setting. Kohage said the district seeks to run cohorts of roughly 15 students per session to keep instruction intensive and individualized.
Program eligibility would prioritize students with severe or chronic absenteeism, behavior records of more than five referrals, a cumulative GPA below 2.5, or specific credit shortfalls (freshmen with fewer than three credits, sophomores fewer than eight, juniors fewer than 12). Students would work through full Admentum classes with guided notes and in‑class teacher support rather than the district's current credit‑recovery opt‑out model, and assessments would be proctored by a staff member in the classroom.
Presenters said the district will microtrack progress with weekly one‑on‑one meetings, graduation trackers and counselor‑led lessons on executive function and goal setting. They described a three‑step parent‑engagement process that begins with notification, follows with a scripted phone call and culminates in a meeting with student, parent, counselor and administrator that would produce a signed participation agreement.
Board members asked about staffing, potential stigma, expansion to middle school and whether the program would be cost neutral. Presenters said they are working through staffing and cost models, intend to pilot the program at the high school before considering middle‑school adaptations, and emphasized that students would remain eligible for extracurriculars while participating. The board voiced support for the goal of keeping students in district programs and reducing referrals to external alternative placements.
The board did not take a formal vote to authorize the program; presenters said additional operational details and staffing options will be brought back for future action.
