Success Stories > Dropout Prevention in Ohio

Ohio program empowers students with
“Educational Options for Success”

Westerville, Ohio – Steve Coolahan meets with at-risk students every day who feel defeated and are ready to give up on earning their high school diplomas.

But he knows there’s still hope for them.

That’s because Coolahan sees students change their minds when they commit to his Educational Options for Success alternative education program. He knows they can graduate. It’s just up to them to decide if they really want it.

“I tell students ‘if you’re willing to work, anything’s possible,’” said Coolahan, manager of the alternative high school program.

For eight years, Coolahan has been helping dropouts, expellees, and students with poor attendance rates get back on track using EdOptions™’ Novel™ as the high school’s primary curriculum.

Novel, a library of 39 Web-based core and elective courses available anytime, from anywhere with an Internet connection, has been “perfect for the needs of the students,” Coolahan said.

Nearly 60 percent of students who were once ready to dropout have graduated instead.

In the 2006-07 school year alone, the program boasted a 93 percent success rate of students meeting requirements set by the school: either graduating, earning the credits they needed to get back on track, or transitioning back into their traditional high school. Over the lifetime of the 8-year-old program, nearly 60 percent of students who were once ready to dropout have graduated instead.

Keeping parents informed and having students take responsibility for their own learning is one of the biggest keys to his students’ successes, Coolahan said.

“We’re working with adolescents and one of their major goals is control and power— and we give it to them,” he said. “Novel enables us to work with students on a daily and weekly basis to get them to establish their learning goals.”

While Novel’s daily report cards have helped keep parents updated on student progress, the reports have also encouraged students, he said.

“When students are successful in school and they’re making progress, it feels rewarding to them and they begin thinking about the future, as opposed to feeling defeated that they can’t make it to graduation,” he said.

Westerville City Schools
Alternative School Program
Westerville, Ohio
Size: 150 students

For more info contact:

EdOptions
1-866-243-7460

Coolahan largely credits Novel for the dramatic transformations.

“It’s been rewarding to see kids talking about their goals and getting excited about them once they’re back on track with school,” he said.

Thanks to the program, students who once thought they’d never make it to high school graduation have found the hope and motivation needed to reach those goals.