Model Legislation for Opportunity Schools

Kim Knous-Dolan

States and districts are not going to design and implement the policies, operations, and schools to  

serve over-age, undercredited students or opportunity youth without a big push from young people, advocates, and practitioners. For decades upon decades we’ve pushed students out of school or let them drift away. It’s not just about stopping the bad practices, we have to put into place intentional strategies to keep student in school.

That’s why I was thrilled to see the Opportunity Schools Pilot Initiative (SB-167) introduced to Colorado’s Senate. From what I can tell this could be used as model legislation if you are thinking about how to leverage the Youth Incentive Fund Initiative in your state. The concept was developed through a stakeholder workgroup to improve the quality of alternative schools. Colorado uses the term Alternative Education Campuses (AEC) for schools serving a population of at least 95% high-risk students.  

The legislation is thoughtfully designed with an advisory committee to help the Department of Education draw on multiple perspectives and the best knowledge in the field.  It avoids being prescriptive with only a bit of guidance that design elements may include but not be limited to:

•  A student-centered focus in which educational services are designed specifically to meet the needs of individual students, including flexible programming, competency-based and applied-learning approaches, and the use of accountability indicators that take into account student academic progress over time and relative academic gains;

•   A college and career readiness focus that includes multiple pathways to postsecondary enrollment, transition services to support students who are moving from high school to postsecondary enrollment, work-based learning, concurrent enrollment including fifth-year concurrent enrollment programs, and other accelerated learning options;

•   Focus on providing wraparound support services for Students through partnerships with multiple public agencies and private entities. Support services may include, but need not be limited to, drug and alcohol treatment, health care, mental health care, child care, behavioral supports, and career opportunities.

There is still a lot of work to be done to see this bill through the legislative process. We all know how much work it takes to develop new policies and funding streams.  In Colorado, as in many states, there is a dynamic group of people dedicated to creating more opportunity for young people. They also have Kim Knous-Dolan of the Donnell-Kay Foundation. Both Kim and the D-K Foundation have demonstrated tremendous perseverance, working consistently on expand and improve AEC.  They are getting results too – from what I can tell Denver is the only district that I know of that has seats for more than 20% of their over-age, undercredited students. (If you know of others please let me know!)  It’s a great example of how small foundations can play big roles in helping our young people be Connected by 25.

(Disclaimer: On occasion I provide consultation to D-K Foundation.)