Market Square Open Doors
The State of Washington is funding another way to help students finish high school. Open Doors is a free program with greater flexibility than a traditional high school. Market Square Open Doors focuses on career and academic offerings, and its competency-based education gives students the chance to earn credits faster. Check out more information about OD from OPSI.
Students who have struggled to complete high school want answers beyond “Just work harder.” Students need a different system and skin in the game. They need an advocate with answers.
Market Square Education and Curlew School District are partnering to re-engage students who have detached from their schooling. This public-private partnership expands opportunities for students. These students benefit from options and support that provide a path to the completion of a long journey. Blending the structure of public education with the flexibility of private education will limit barriers and move students to think beyond high school and about their future.
MSE is improving Washington State’s graduation and dropout rates in collaboration with schools across the state.
What is Market Square Open Doors
As a State-funded program, MSOD is designed to re-engage students who are at risk of not graduating or who have dropped out. Students work in collaboration with teachers and staff that provides individualized curriculum, support, and connection. A student aged 16-21 can complete high school by earning a diploma or GED with a career or academic pathway.
Benefits to School Districts
The purpose of Market Square Open Doors is to serve districts and to engage students that need another option with timely and relevant education.
Any school district is invited to be part of our growing network of options to serve students. The benefits to a school district and its students includes:
- For Students
- At-risk students- coursework can be customized to fit schedules, situations, and life-happenings
- Credit deficiency- graduation requirements can be earned at a pace that fits a student's needs
- Competency-based & experiential-based education can accelerate high school completion
- May lead to a diploma or GED
- No cost
- For Districts
- A customizable program is built to fit the needs of a districts
- OSPI funded with levy equalization
- Increased enrollments
- Improves graduation and dropout rates
- MSE oversees student progress and reporting requires
- A pathway for students that need re-engagement
Eligibility
- 16-21 years of age by September 1 of the current school year
- Dropped out of high school
- Significantly credit deficient or a recommendation from a school district staff.
Education
MSOD addresses the needs of the whole person and realizes that this stage of life prepares them for a greater journey that starts after completing high school. Students can be reunited to learning and success through:
- engaging students in the process
- collaborating to design pathways that are relevant and interesting
- being goal-focused and success-driven
Program Design
As a re-engagement program, MSOD provides students with a plan to meet their academic goals. Students will receive high school credit for completed academic work and are not required to take only the courses they need to complete to graduate. A student may choose to earn a GED, high school diploma, and/or recognized trade certificate.
Career & Trade Pathway
A student starts MSOD by beginning to explore different professions and trades of interesting to them. The student chooses potential career pathways and will complete coursework and training that may lead to industry-recognized credentials.
A focus on career-readiness training teaches students about job skills and trains them about how to be a good employee. An emphasis on employability skills such as communication, responding to supervision, and staying on task are weaved through the duration of the program. Students will learn how to look for jobs, practice their interview skills, and build a resume and portfolio.
MSOD makes a strong effort to allow students to participate in work-based learning and apprenticeships inside their field of interest. Support and guidance from their case manager and teacher are provided.
Students will receive high school credit for their successful completion of these career readiness and trade courses where applicable.
Academics & Options
When starting MSOD, all students will take a reading and math placement assessment. This allows us to understand academic strengths and holes and tailor a plan to match the student with the best coursework. All students meet with a teacher to make a plan to achieve their academic goals during their time in the MSOD. Each week, the student and the staff member communicate in person, by phone, email, or over the web. Monthly, a teacher meets face-to-face with the student for support and guidance.
There are three academic options for students, and an individualized plan is created for each student with collaboration with their case manager.
- College-level skills
- High school level skills
- Below 9th grade level skills
Requirements
- Credits. Students have the same requirement as any public school. Check this website to determine the requirements for the year that a student was supposed to graduate.
- Testing. State testing is required to pass. If a student cannot pass, we will find another way to earn their diploma. Unlike other public school programs, we guarantee a solution, provided the student is a willing participant.
- Contact and support.
- Weekly, a staff member and a student are in some form of contact. This may be done in person, a virtual meeting, phone call, email, or other forms of communication. Our preference is face-to-face. It builds a stronger connection, and any needed changes are easier to implement.
- During the month, the student and teacher meet at least two-hours of face-to-face time. Students with more teacher interaction tend to progress better and have a stronger sense of personal support.
- Coursework completion. Students need to make sufficient progress in their studies as the teacher reports monthly student progress. We make every effort to be a support team for students and to find a solution if they struggle to finish their work.
Example Schedules
MSOD has just started. As enrollment increases, classes will be added to give students additional choices.
- Student 1. Nate had issues with attendance and missed too many days to pass his classes. He is bright and can pass any class but doesn't. Nate will benefit from more flexibility in his schedule. To break this cycle, Nate and his teacher will come up with 2-4 hours per day and specific days of the week when he will come into the Open Lab to study. When he is successfully managing his time, he can propose to have more flexibility. The goals are self-direction and monitoring.
- Student 2. Liza left her neighborhood school due to medical issues. She is in and out of the hospital and that makes it difficult to attend her neighborhood school. Her doctor appointments make it difficult to predict a school schedule. Each week, MSOD staff will have check-ins with her. Liza will spend a couple of hours at MSOD every couple of weeks and meet with her teacher. Together, they will review and adjust her work as needed. When she is feeling well enough, she can drop in to Open Lab and work on her studies. She can expect care and support from the staff.
- Student 3. Another story
- Student 4. Another story
- Student 5. Another story
- Student 6. Another story
- Student 7. Another story
- Student 8. Another story. We will continue to add different scenarios. The takeaway is that we will provide sufficient structure, guidance, flexibility, and support for the student to be successful. Students provide sufficient discipline and commitment to succeed.