District to try guaranteed learning program

The Grand Coulee Dam School District will enter a two-year “guaranteed education” pilot project beginning with the senior graduating class of 2014.

Superintendent Dennis Carlson has been talking about the idea for some time and last Wednesday asked the board to embark on a two-year pilot project to which the board readily agreed.

The program would guarantee graduating seniors, for one year, that if they had difficulty moving on in college, the military, or a work situation, the district would come to their aid.

Carlson said the program would pay to provide tutoring at a college or university level if a student tried and failed an entrance examination.

He also stated the same would be true if a graduating senior tried to enter the military, but couldn’t pass the test.

And, Carlson told the school board, if a student tries to enter the workforce and has trouble passing any test, a tutor would be made available to assist the applicant, also at the district’s expense.

Carlson told the board that this would increase public trust in the district’s program.

Carlson said there would be some restraints on the program — namely, that parents would have to sign on, and there would have to be an agreement on such things as attendance, conduct and grades.

The grade point average suggested by the board ranged from 2.4 - 2.7.

The board asked Carlson to bring a draft of the proposal to the July board meeting.