E-School News – Scott Ebbrecht
“A decade ago, approximately 10 percent of high school students at my district—450 kids—did not earn enough credits to advance to the next grade level. Six-hundred were at risk of school failure and/or dropping out. At the time, 70-100 high school students were expelled annually. Not only was this inhibiting students from succeeding in school, life and future careers, but it was straining teachers within the classroom. According to recent research, the annual cost for a teacher to deal with a disruptive student for one hour each day amounts to more $27,000 per classroom in lost instructional time. Clearly, something had to change. The Westerville City School District (WCSD), where I work as director of alternative education and assessment, serves students living within a 52-square-mile area located just northeast of Columbus, Ohio. Its enrollment of approximately 14,800 students makes WCSD the 11th largest school district in the state.”(more)