Subsequent years . . .

Sale of product pays for shop space (estimated $28,000 per school year) lease and utilities.

Recover ADM for the district to reenroll former dropouts to pay for FTE. Donations or other grant sources may supply the materials needed.

District Goals:
100% Graduation

Student Needs:
As a safety net of credit recovery for Klamath Union HS, KLC receives students who may have been expelled or suffer from chronic illness. Many KLC students report they have social anxieties, having been being overwhelmed by multiple transitions and large classes. Many of my students have less than 50% of the credits they need to be on track to graduate with their cohort. Several have experiences with drug abuse, juvenile court, homelessness, and many are on modified IEPs with lower than a 1.8 g.p.a..

Given these demographics, it seems remarkable that 34 KLC students earned a diploma and 16 students have earned a GED. Unfortunately, as of June 3, 2022, TyerSIS shows there are 126 students who withdrew this school year from Klamath Learning Center. Most of these did not enroll elsewhere.

Online education is insufficient to engage many students. For example, in 2019, before the outlier of the pandemic, Klamath Learning Center graduation rate was 25%, and only 8% of the those with IEPs graduated with their 2015 incoming cohort, according to the ODE report card. Currently, KFCS has identified nearly 40 eligible youth (dropouts) who have expressed interest in completing their education through a CTE program before they exit their 5th year senior window. They want to work with their whole body rather than merely their fingers on a keyboard.

Community Needs:
Klamath Falls needs skilled workers to ease the housing shortage. (The city even offered to pay the expenses to become a contractor.) Students who participate in LearnSTEAM, a 40 hour per week program for one school year, will likely earn their GED or diploma and continue through NCCER courses preparing to enter the KCC Preapprenticeship Program in the skilled trades.

Program Proposal:
LearnSTEAM trains formally disengaged youth to construct low-cost housing while completing their diploma or earning a GED. Within this collaborative MakerSpace students practice soft skills necessary for success in the skilled trades.

Students would have available an 8 credit CTE “Construction and Architecture” program (4 classes per day in 100 minute blocks. 75 hours of instruction per class per quarter @ 100 min. x 5 days x 9 weeks)

For detailed course descriptions, schedules, and detailed expenditures, see LearnSteam.com

Budget:
The largest expense, a certified FTE, can be financed based on the recaptured weighted ADM from anticipated re-enrollment of 12 former dropouts. And if four more dropouts enroll, a classified 0.8 FTE can be hired. [With benefits approximately 30% of a union negotiated salary, a teacher earning $70k would actually cost $91k. A classified program assistant earning $34 would actually cost about $40k when benefits are considered. Thus, to compensate for these two staff ($91 + $40 = $131k), 12 students, with an ADM value of $11k would needed to be added to the district. Since half of the eligible target youth are on IEPs, then their weighted ADM add more resources to the district.]]

After the sale of the “Skoolie”, or pre-fab ADU, the startup expenses can be recovered, and Perkins and/or Measure 98 funds, can be added for a self-sustaining program.

Fund: (3 digits)
100 General Fund  

Function: (4 digits)
1280 Alternative Education

Object: (3 digits)
100 Salaries
200 Associated Payroll Costs
400 Supplies and Materials
410 Food

Operational Unit: (3 digits)
New Program: District Alternative school (1283-1287)

Area of Responsibility: (3 digits)

Sub-Area: n/a

REFERENCES:

Program budgeting and Accounting Manual - Oregon. (2019). Retrieved June 2, 2022 from https://www.oregon.gov/ode/schools-and-districts/grants/Documents/Program%20Budgeting%20and%20Accounting%20Manual%20(PBAM)%20-%202019%20Edition%20(Effective%20as%20of%20July%201,%202020).pdf

Klamath Falls City Schools approved budget for 2022-23. Retrieved June 2, 2022 from https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/2779/KFCS/2090758/FY_2022-23_Approved_Budget.pdf