Ombudsman Educational Services
"An Alternate Route…"
Mission
The mission of Ombudsman Educational Services is to offer an alternative route to graduation for students who are at risk of dropping out of school.
Profile
Ombudsman believes every student can succeed with the right instruction in the right environment. We help students graduate and help schools improve graduation rates by following a four-step process:
1. Diagnostic Assessment: Each middle or high school student is treated as an individual upon entering the alternative program. Ombudsman assesses each student’s skill levels through diagnostic assessment, testing each subject area to determine each student’s strengths and skill gaps.
2. Prescription: As part of our dropout prevent and recovery program, Ombudsman prescribes an individualized learning plan for each student. Ombudsman’s competency-based instruction model allows students to demonstrate mastery of skill and content at a place tailored for each student’s learning style, skill level and course requirements. With this model, students can spend more time on the subjects they find challenging.
3. Instruction: Ombudsman’s non-traditional middle and high school programs provide personalized, computer-assisted instruction to students based on their assessment and prescription. Students work on their personalized learning plans with instructors who offer assistance in academics as well as life and social skills. We offer the same instructional services to middle and high school English language learners and students with IEPs, as well.
4. Evaluation: Ombudsman’s computer-assisted instruction not only allows for personalized learning plans, but also facilitates up-to-date evaluation. Teachers assess each student’s academic growth on a daily, weekly, monthly and quarterly basis and reassess student prescription or instruction regularly to maintain each student’s progress in the program.
Results
Since it was founded in 1975, Ombudsman has helped more than 100,000 at-risk middle and high school students graduate. 100% of Ombudsman students are at risk when they enrol in our learning centres. Nearly all of them – 85%– graduate, earn credits or return to their district school closer to or at grade level.
In addition, Ombudsman student attendance is 86%. On average, students make more than one year’s academic growth in less than an academic year, based on standardized tests. And, as students’ academic performance improves, their behaviours improve and they have more opportunities for the future.
