Guest blogger Cindy Freeman

Integrating Ranch students into the mainstream

The process of a student integrating from an in-town Ranch classroom to a mainstream public school class is different for each Ranch student.  Most importantly, students have to show interest in integrating into the mainstream - that they want to be with other peers in a regular classroom of their grade level - before we will proceed.  They have to show that they can keep up with the regular class work and work hard. 

Students must demonstrate responsibility

They have to demonstrate that they can handle themselves in a regular classroom, with less supervision and support than the Ranch class.  They also have to show responsibility in being able to follow a schedule and attend the classes on time.  Usually we will start each youth off in one or two regular mainstream classes and depending how they do, we then increase this until they are fully integrated.  We help the students by keeping track of their homework and assignments.  We give them plenty of extra time on the Ranch class to work on their homework.