Delano High School

Client Profile

Delano High School, Delano, MN
Student Population: 600

Key Contact

Dr. Bruce Locklear, Principal, 763-972-3365

Problem

The school had a significant failure rate (18-24% 4 years ago) and were losing students due to drop outs and transfers to alternative programs in neighboring districts (the Delano School District did not offer one). The school needed to find a way to get failing students back on track and retain them in the school system. The loss of students was impacting graduation rates, staff and student morale and had resulted in a loss of approximately $210,000 each year due to students leaving the district.

Solution

In Dr. Locklear's opinion, many of the failing students did not need to be in an alternative learning center-they just needed more time and options for regaining the credits they failed and mastering course content.

To accommodate these learners, Delano High School developed a credit recovery program that utilized online courses to allow students to recover credits at their own pace and graduate from high school. They also instituted "the Delano Way", which every student and staff member in the school can recite:

• Show Up
• Show Up on Time
• Work Hard
• Failure is not an Option

Locklear credits the Credit Recovery Program with helping them answer the third part of the Delano Way—by giving a whole group of students a way to avoid failure.

Delano High School found other students, outside of those that previously failed classes, that could benefit from online courses. For example, Heidi was a senior and diagnosed with cancer. Treatment kept her away from the classroom for a majority of her senior year but because Delano High School had an online course option, she was able to take her classes at home and in the hospital, receive all her credits and graduate with her class.

Another student was a meth addict who was sent to treatment during the school year. However, rather than falling behind, he was able to take courses online and receive credit from Delano High School.

Because the courses are aligned to the rigor and standards students are held to in the regular classroom, it is very easy for the school to grant credit for online learning. In fact, the courses are so rigorous and the library so comprehensive, the school is able to reach their high flying students with the online program, allowing advanced placement credit in subjects like physics and chemistry.

Results

The credit recovery program began 4 years ago when the failure rate ranged between 18-21%. Today it is at 1.3%.

The district also recovers the $210,000 leaving the district each year.

According to Locklear, the school attitude has changed as well. "PLATO and the credit recovery program provide a new way to reach students and both students and teachers are now experiencing success. This has transfigured the attitude at Delano High school. People are now happy to be here."