BALDWIN PARK RENEWS OFL DROPOUT PREVENTION PROGRAM

Citing Effectiveness of Program, District Unanimously Extends

Opportunities for Learning Charter for Five More Years

LA CANADA, Calif. (January 29, 2007) – The Baldwin Park Unified School District (BPUSD) has unanimously approved the charter renewal of Opportunities for Learning (OFL), an accredited public charter school serving at-risk middle and high school students with innovative dropout recovery and prevention programs.

The charter renewal, approved last week by a 5-0 vote, enables the school district and OFL to continue for five more years their existing partnership, which for the past half-decade has produced encouraging results for students who would otherwise likely drop out of school and not graduate.

OFL serves about 5,000 students per year, including dropouts or at-risk students in Long Beach, Compton, South Central Los Angeles and the San Gabriel and San Fernando valleys. During the past five years, the Baldwin Park OFL school has served more than 20,000 students – 11,000 of whom returned to traditional schools, and another 1,000 of whom graduated from OFL.

“Our success rate has averaged about 60 percent – an impressive statistic given the type of students we serve,” said Tom Goodman, Superintendent of OFL. “These are good kids at good schools. But for a variety of reasons the traditional school setting was not working for them.”

In recommending renewal of the charter, the District recognized that a sound and effective educational program was being offered by OFL as evidenced by both Academic Performance Index (API) comparison scores and an increase in student enrollment. Based upon the 2006 API – the cornerstone of California’s Public Schools Accountability Act of 1999, which measures the academic performance and growth of schools on a variety of academic measures – OFL-Baldwin Park’s score increased 30 points from the previous year. This was more than twice the target growth set by the State of California.

Bill Toomey, OFL’s Director of Instruction, cited the school’s flexible education model as a major reason for the school’s success and subsequent renewal.

“We offer one-on-one attention from teachers, availability of year-round classes, single subject immersion, high standards, and rigorous attendance and accountability requirements,” said Toomey. “We have found this to provide the right combination of services for diverse students living in today’s changing world.”

At-risk students are youth who have left traditional schools for a wide range of reasons. They include students who are socio-economically challenged and ethnic minorities, teen parents, expectant mothers, individuals in the juvenile justice system, youth with behavioral or health issues, students who have simply fallen behind in credits, or whose needs are otherwise not being met by a traditional school. Changes in society, in the family unit and in the workplace have spurred the need for and growth of innovative instructional programs such as charter schools to meet the diverse educational needs and lifestyles of students.

About Opportunities for Learning (OFL)

Opportunities for Learning Charter Schools (OFL) is the operating name of three independent, WASC accredited charter schools with 26 learning centers located throughout Southern California. OFL and its sister organization, Options for Youth Charter Schools, currently serve more than 25,000 students each yea; thousands more are on waiting lists. Established by lifelong teachers and educators, John and Joan Hall in 1999, OFL began serving at-risk students who dropped out or were at risk of dropping out of school. Over time, it has expanded its focus to become an innovator in the development of educational options, curriculum, programs and administrative services tailored to the needs of independent study and designed to expand opportunities for at-risk students. For more information: www.emsofl.com.

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