What is an Outreach School?
Outreach schools are a current system of alternative education put into place to “prevent [students] leaving before graduation or to facilitate their return if they do leave prematurely” (Housego, 1999, p.85). Typically, Outreach schools are brick-and-mortar schools that individualize student instruction through the use of print-based distance education materials and individual student program plans that allow for personalized course sequencing and pacing, credit recovery options, non-attendance options and face-to-face tutorial supports. Outreach staff recognize that each student is unique and attempt to give students what they feel they need instead of focusing on what others decide they need (Housego, 1999). Students’ progress at their own rate and the choice to attend is typically as they wish, with some choosing to attend daily, weekly or only show up to submit and pick-up new materials. This attempt to meet the needs of a very diverse student body has led to the educational innovation of the Outreach school (Housego, 1999).
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