Rialto Unified School District
Submitted By: Kim Watson
San Bernardino Community College District Consortium
Website: http://kec.rialto.k12.ca.us/Domain/1195
Type of Practice: Program Development / Curriculum / Classroom
Program Area(s): ABE / ASE
Region: Inland Empire
Consortia Involved: San Bernardino Community College District Consortium
The Program of Practice
Upon my start at Rialto Adult School in 2018-2019, one of the programs offered to the community was a very small diploma and GED class. The diploma program consisted of one teacher with approximately 50 students total. The GED program consisted of one teacher with approximately 60 GED students total. All classes were conducted in person. The problem of practice was the lack of access to technology and the inflexibility of the program.The program was stagnant for many years offering no access to technology and limiting the students to completion of paper work packets and book work. The required in-person attendance limited access to students who were in the workforce.
The Response
Over the past five years the Diploma program has tripled in size with two teachers and over 200 students enrolled. The diploma program also adopted an online A-G approved program that helped to transition away from the antiquated paper packets and textbooks to an online curriculum. This lead to the purchase of laptop carts for the diploma classes and other technology. The diploma classes began to implement online curriculum when we acquired a license for the newly adopted Odysseyware program. GED preparation classes are now offered in both English and Spanish and maxed out at 28 students per section. One of the changes that was made was to make both programs available in-person, virtually, and as an independent study class both in the morning and evening. Another change was to invest in our technology infrastructure and purchase laptop carts for every class along with hot spots, and loaner devices giving access to students who did not have technology available at home. The pandemic opened the opportunity for everyone to work from home in order to achieve their academic goals, which has continued even after we reopened due to student responses from surveys.
The Unique Features of the Program
The new and unique features that have grown our program and made it successful include the following: unhindered access to technology, more sections available in both programs, and access to online curriculum so students can work at their own pace. The teachers are highly flexible and accessible which minimizes delays in reporting student course completion. This motivates students to work at a much faster pace in order to complete their course work, making it equitable for all students.
The Outcome
As a result, Rialto Adult School has seen an increase in African American and male graduates from the diploma program. The GED passage rates have also shown a steady increase. Overall, graduation numbers have increased over the past five years from approximately 30 students in 2018-2019, 32 students 2019-2020, 75 students 2020-2021, 81 students in 2021-2022, to 96 students in 2022-2023.