Ombudsman believes that all students have the ability to earn a diploma with the right instruction in the right environment. No matter their history of truancy, expulsion, suspension, pregnancy or credit deficiency, middle and high school students can graduate and accomplish their educational and life goals.

Because of its non-traditional schedule and setting, Ombudsman can provide the individualized attention some students need to graduate.

Who is at risk?
Students find themselves at risk of not graduating for many reasons. Students have personal, social, learning, family and environmental challenges that make it hard for them to be successful in a traditional classroom setting. Some of the reasons students experience difficulty attending classes and completing assignments are:

• Supporting family members financially
• Working full-time
• Transferring schools and losing credits
• Managing medical conditions
• Having a baby
• Battling social anxiety disorders
• Having a learning disability
• Experiencing difficulty concentrating in large classroom settings

Helping All Students
Ombudsman alternative programs are designed to address the individual needs of each student. Students complete an academic assessment when they enroll that matches their skills with the appropriate educational materials. Each student then receives an individualized learning plan designed to meet his or her academic needs.

Students benefit from Ombudsman’s alternative education program that offers personalized instruction, computer-assisted learning and a flexible schedule. The non-traditional middle and high school programs allow students to work at their own pace in a small classroom setting with a low student-to-instructor ratio.

Students have a role in choosing which material they work on each day, and they enjoy being in charge of their own learning. All students are required to demonstrate a 90 percent mastery in content areas before advancing to the next level. When they master one concept, they move on to the next. On average, Ombudsman’s students achieve more than one academic year’s growth in less than one year’s time.

Student Success
Each year, Ombudsman helps thousands of students who may not have otherwise graduated from high school. Regardless of the reason they attend Ombudsman, 84 percent of Ombudsman students graduate, earn necessary credits or return to their district school closer to or at grade level.