Revised graduation policy to get final vote

LIVERMORE FALLS — Students who enroll in the Progressive Learning Institute after July 1 must earn 24 credits to get their high school diplomas, under a revised graduation policy up for a final vote this summer by the Livermore/Livermore Falls School Board.

Under the revised policy, students must successfully complete four English classes, three science, one computer literacy, one physical education, three math, three social studies, including U.S. history, one health and one fine arts class to graduate. They also need a portfolio, 200 hours of work, a senior project, community service, a one-year transition plan and other requirements.

Those enrolled before July 1 must earn 20 credits to get their diplomas. They will do the same amount of work, but credits are not assigned to some of it. That's because the Maine Department of Education recommended credits be put on some of the institute's requirements, such as the one-year transitional plan, Livermore Falls High School Principal Shawn Lambert said.

"It's great to have another pathway for the students for which a regular traditional high school might not always be the right fit," he said.

Livermore Falls High School students must earn 24 credits to graduate by successfully completing four English classes, three science, one fine arts, one health, three math, three social studies, one physical education and eight electives.

The two-year-old Progressive Learning Institute serves 16- to 20-year-olds from Livermore, Livermore Falls and Jay who are at risk of dropping out of high school or have already done so. It's overseen by SAD 36 Adult Education Director Carrie Castonguay at the Cedar Street Learning Complex near the high school.

Students must be referred and go through an admission process, and they can take as long as necessary to get their diplomas. The state reimburses the school system for each attendee.

This past school year, 17 earned their diplomas, Castonguay said. As of July 8, more than a dozen were still working on theirs, she said. Chris Ellingwood is their teacher.

dperry@sunjournal.com