A local charter school is opening doors for young adults who are behind in credits and need to complete their high school graduation requirements.
A first of its kind for the county, OCDE’s College and Career Preparatory Academy (CCPA) was created to fill gaps in services currently available to young men and women — 18 to 25 years old — who have aged out of the school system but still have a desire to complete their graduation requirements. The academy offers courses based around work-life schedules, as well as career planning, college options and workforce preparation.
“At CCPA, we want students to succeed and move forward with the next steps in their life, whether that is college, a career or a training program,” said CCPA Principal Dave Connor. “This program was developed to help students who’ve lost their way, and we couldn’t be more proud of the nearly 750 students who’ve graduated from the academy.”
While many of the students entering College and Career Preparatory Academy are behind in credits and below grade-level in mastering standards, nearly half of CCPA’s graduates move on to attend community college or a career technical education (CTE) training program.
OCDE Newsroom staff recently caught up with Principal Connor to discuss a few reasons why CCPA makes it easy for local students to earn a high school diploma.
You can enroll anytime.
Young adults seeking to complete their high school diploma can enroll at CCPA year-round. Students interested in enrolling can simply visit freeccpa.com to fill out a short application form, or call 714-796-8795 to receive information about flexible schedules and classes.
CCPA offers more than just academics.
CCPA purposely builds relationships with community colleges, community-based organizations, local agencies and potential employers to ensure that students develop and learn how to use a network of support for problem solving. One such partnership is with the California Jobs ChalleNGe. Sponsored by the National Guard, the program provides post-secondary career technical education to graduate, as well as CTE training and career readiness skills that eventually lead to employment.
Schedules are flexible.
Students enrolled at CCPA have the opportunity to create a flexible schedule while taking advantage of a variety of supports including counselor sessions, remote learning, tutoring, peer activities and more.
One-on-one guidance is available.
A major focus of the program is to develop an Individualized Education Career Service Plan for students that allows them to earn the credits needed to graduate and continue their education and career pathways through college enrollment and vocational training opportunities. This process allows teachers to differentiate the curriculum to support the specific needs of each student, and it provides an opportunity to ensure lessons are relevant and meaningful to individual learners.
To learn more about the College and Career Preparatory Academy, or to enroll, visit www.ocde.us/CCPA.