By Corey Vikser
Staff Writer
Alternative schools such as Halstrom and Fusion Academy offer personalized education that helps students succeed while providing preparation for college and career skill building.
In the past decade, many new, alternative education avenues have become available to students.
These schools reduce student stress by focusing less on numerical scores. For example, at Halstrom, students must prove comprehension of the material they have learned and cannot move on until they reach a minimum score of 80 percent on a final assessment. This approach is much more dedicated to the students as instructors strive to educate them without pressure to keep but with the rest of the class. Eliminating the potential of failing a class helps to reduce student stress.
Halstrom and Fusion’s personalized schooling is a helpful program for students afflicted with learning disabilities.
According to sophomore and former Costa student Bianca Waxman, she went from failing classes at Costa to passing all of her classes because Halstrom presents an appropriate workload and teaches students with a different approach. For students like her afflicted with Attention Deficit Disorder, this altered workload can help students master material without being overwhelmed.
Some argue that students who take these courses in addition to a normal Costa course load do not deserve the same grade point average credits on a Costa transcript, citing the heavily reduced class time. However, teachers assign students a minimum of 3-5 hours of independent study for each class weekly. Although students complete their hours independently the time spent on schoolwork is comparable to a full day at a public school.
Because the hours are nearly equivalent, these courses should be allowed to fulfill Costa graduation requirements and be incorporated onto the transcript if they are taken to supplement a Costa’s student’s course load.
Fusion and Halstrom share many of the same accreditations as Costa by many organizations, including but not limited to the Western Association of Schools and Colleges, ensuring their levels of education are comparable.
Zidane Labelle, Student President of the Manhattan Beach Halstrom location, negates accusations that the school does not adequately prepare students for the future, stating that the program teaches students how to independently prioritize their work. Halstrom offers 17 Advanced Placement courses as well as programs for college and career counselling and preparation.
The inclusion of classes such as Halstrom’s Work Experience course, which is required for students to graduate from the program, is the biggest advantage over public schooling. These programs help students become prepared for life beyond high school by teaching them interview and resume skills and requiring them to secure employment before graduation.
The flexible programs these schools offer allow students to better accommodate their needs and incorporate other commitments, such as a job, into their schedule.
While controversial, one-on-one private schooling opens up massive opportunities for previously failing students by merging education with career preparation. The personalized, flexible education, helps students prepare for the future.
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