Annual evaluation: COIC, Redmond Proficiency Academy report continued services and enrollment details
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Summary
High Desert ESD coordinator Lauren Nordquist and partners presented the annual evaluation of alternative learning options, covering COIC’s GED and work‑readiness programs and Redmond Proficiency Academy’s accreditation and a $24 million bond for facility expansion.
The Redmond School District 2J board received its annual evaluation of alternative learning options (ALOs) from Lauren Nordquist, coordinator for the High Desert Education Service District, and representatives of service providers including the Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council and Redmond Proficiency Academy.
Nordquist said the annual evaluation is largely supportive work and oversight; she told the board the Heart of Oregon Corps will become a registered ALO next year and that the evaluation process will shift to present three years of longitudinal data for each program. “Next year, we want to be able to see at least three years of data from each of the programs,” Nordquist said.
Dustin Gurley, COIC teacher, summarized COIC’s Redmond site work: his program served 27 Redmond students this year, most aged 19–20; 25 of 27 were classified as older youth and most worked jobs while pursuing GEDs or diplomas. Gurley reported six GED completions for Redmond students so far this year, one diploma, and additional GEDs expected later in the spring. He described recruitment from drop‑out lists, evening instruction for working students, and post‑completion supports including assistance with FAFSA, COCC applications and apprenticeship referrals.
John Folick, executive director of Redmond Proficiency Academy (RPA), presented highlights from RPA’s Cognia accreditation summary, noting an Index of Educational Quality (IEQ) score of 339 that the school’s executive summary characterized as “top tier.” Folick told the board RPA will close on a $24 million bond the following day to fund an addition to its middle school and renovations to downtown buildings, with construction adding about 8,000 square feet and six classrooms over two years. He said the bond is a school‑level obligation, not a taxpayer bond, and that RPA expects to increase middle‑school capacity toward 300–375 students over time.
Board discussion included procedural questions about the evaluation format and a request to standardize reports to make multi‑year trends clearer. The presentations were informational; the board did not take new formal action on ALO approvals at the meeting.