High School Dropouts Can Earn Their Diplomas through the Acceleration Academies
- Using an innovative, non-traditional method, Acceleration Academies has served over 600 previously disengaged students in Miami-Dade.
In its second-year partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools (MDCPS), and with operating sites in Hialeah, Homestead, North Miami Beach, and a new location in central Miami, Acceleration Academies, a nationally accredited high school re-engagement program, is redefining the traditional school model and helping young adults overcome real-life challenges to earn their district-issued high school diplomas tuition-free. Acceleration Academies offer high school dropouts the possibility of earning their high school diplomas by providing a blended learning model in which students can access their coursework online day and night while having the support of licensed teachers, tutors, career and life coaches that are ready to assist their educational journeys.
“We accept students ages 16-20 as long as they have completed middle school, or as long as they are at high school level and not actively enrolled. We want to help as many kids as we can to earn high school diplomas from MDCPS,” mentioned Gina Montagnino-Fiske, Miami-Dade Acceleration Academies District Director.
Students, or graduation candidates (GCs) as they are called, are given a “personalized learning plan,” depending on their professional goals, whether military, college, promotion, job or business startups. Therefore, the program not only helps students in their paths to graduation but also works to ensure that all its graduation candidates are best prepared for life post-graduation by offering hands-on life and career coaching.
“We offer flexible scheduling which allows GCs to do their work at home and some of their work at our academy. Our blended learning model gives them the flexibility to do their coursework anywhere with Internet access,” said Mrs. Montagnino-Fiske. “However, students need to access the Acceleration Academies building for their scheduled on-site hours each week,” she added.
Students take one course at a time, at their own learning pace via a competency-based platform. Moreover, qualified professionals and certified teachers work with GCs in small groups or one-on-one settings, creating opportunities to develop substantial relationships with them.
On average, 53% of students complete ten or more courses during an academic year. Since the opening of the Acceleration Academies, nearly 70 former Miami-Dade County Public School students have earned regular district-issued diplomas through the program.
Acceleration Academies operates sites throughout Florida, South Carolina, and Washington State. For more information about the program, visit www.accelerationacademy.org or call 872-529-5115.
Haz clic para leer en Español: Estudiantes que abandonan la escuela secundaria pueden obtener su diploma a través del programa Acceleration Academies
