May, 2022
Data revealed over 130 students who had experienced KLC in the last two school years, but who had withdrawn without completing a diploma or GED program. These students were sorted by credits earned, age, IEP status, special populations, attendance, and other aggregates to target for reengagement recruitment, if the proposed LearnSTEAM construction/GED program was approved and funded.

June
The Klamath Falls City School district agreed to provided one FTE teacher with the financial expectation that recovered ADM (12 students) would pay for that position. The ODE “Youth Reengagement Grant” of $120k awarded to Klamath Works, is expected to cover all other program expenses.
Klamath Works submitted the grant application to the ODE. Eligible students (drop outs) were contacted to detect their level of interest in the proposed LearnSTEAM opportunity. From the list, it was discovered that many students were no longer eligible due to incarcerations, employment, or having moved out of the area.

July
Waiting for grant approval. Attempting to locate an appropriate site for program implementation in case of grant approval.

August
w1 Notification of successful grant application.
w3 Notification of district approval
w4 Registration of 6 students

During the first weeks of school, lack of tools, materials, location, food, transportation, and other resources were detrimental to student engagement.

September
w1 Without a location for program implementation, Klamath Works offered a 12'x16' room at their location.
w2 Age constraints: Recruitment was constrained to those who were not yet 19 by Sept 6, unless ADM could be gained through special category, e.g., IEP. Students must be 16 years old to take the GED, effectively eliminating 9th grade, and some 10th grade dropouts.
w3 NCCER was eliminated from the curriculum. Admin decided LearnSTEAM would not be a CTE program, nor offer credits toward a diploma. Three students disengaged as they had been aiming for a diploma.

October
w2 KCSD provided a list of 9-12 grade students who had dropped out. Of these 43 students, 9 were too old, 7 were too young, 15 lived between 20 and 100 miles outside of Klamath Falls, 5 were “planning to return to school”, 3 had “to keep working to pay rent”, a couple were incarcerated, leaving 4 available students for recruitment. One of those briefly joined the program.
w3 Attendance from mid Sept to mid Oct was 50%. Lack of transportation is often an excuse, although free bus passes are provided. Most of these days had been spent on preparing for the GED subject tests. Thus, students who had scored "not likely to pass" sporadically missed critical GED tutoring.

November
w1 A site was finally leased and insured for students to begin construction.
w2 The delay of ODE to release grant funds forces Klamath Works to pay out out of pocket in the expectation of eventually being reimbursed.
w3 Computers are purchased for student use as per the grant budget.

December
The 4,400 sq ft warehouse is not heated, and leaks. Temperatures are in the teens. This is the type of challenge that prepares students for the rigors of working construction. Klamath Works provides coats to students in need.

January Students demonstrated the assembly of the 10'x12' shed they had constructed. Observers included the KFCS district superintendent, director of secondary education, principal of KLC, director of Klamath Works, Mens director at the Gospel Mission, and several parents.
First student to complete GED was hired by Klamath Works to tutor and supervise in the LearnSTEAM program.