From Dropout Prevention to Lifelong Learning

MCESC and Graduation Alliance Celebrate 10 Years of Impact

When Mason learned that his girlfriend was pregnant, he knew he would have to shift the trajectory of his life.

“Although it was scary and I knew many things would change fast, I also knew I needed to step up and provide stability for my unborn child,” Mason said.

Mason was only a junior in high school at Huber Heights City Schools. However, during that winter, he enrolled in the district’s Graduation Alliance dropout prevention program, which allowed him to complete all of his coursework 100% online on his schedule.

Mason’s success didn’t happen in a vacuum. It’s part of a decade-long partnership between Montgomery County Educational Service Center (MCESC) and Graduation Alliance that has redefined what’s possible for at-risk students. What started out as a dropout prevention initiative has grown into both dropout prevention and credit recovery and laid the groundwork for other pathways to graduation in Ohio for both youth and adults. MCESC Superintendent Shannon Cox’s leadership and vision have been central to bringing these opportunities to the districts and communities she serves.

Building the Foundation (2015-2019)

Serving 16 public school districts, the Montgomery County Educational Service Center offers a wide range of services for both educators and students. Services include specialized and related services, instructional services for educators, career readiness and cognitive learning services for students, professional development, and more.

“Our mission is visionary leaders providing exemplary service, but our tagline is that we serve so students can be successful,” Cox said. 

In 2015, Cox was not yet superintendent, but she was already hard at work to provide school districts with the resources they needed to ensure students were successful. She was the conduit between districts and service providers, finding the best possible solutions for students and communicating the resources available to districts.

When she first heard about Graduation Alliance, the organization did not yet have a foothold in Ohio, but the results in neighboring states like Michigan were promising. Graduation Alliance offered an alternative pathway to graduation for at-risk and dropped-out students that allowed them to stay enrolled in their local school district while receiving the flexibility, accountability, and support they needed to make it to graduation.

Despite being new to Ohio, Graduation Alliance and MCESC worked together to make the program model work in compliance with Ohio state laws. 

“It wasn’t like they just said, ‘Oh, nope, that’s the way the model is.’ They were willing to figure it out with me… We all went out and used our resources to bring people back to the table who could try to figure it out — and we did,” Cox said. 

The collaboration marked the beginning of an adaptive and dynamic relationship that was tested during the pandemic.

Adapting in Crisis (2020-2022)

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in early 2020, modality changes and unprecedented challenges made it impossible for school districts to continue on as usual. Even when schools returned to in-person instruction, students were missing in droves.

“All the work we had done before COVID set the stage for us to pivot during and after COVID pretty quickly,” Cox said. “We had a strong relationship, we knew each other’s strengths, and we already had a foundation for doing things differently.”

Early in the pandemic, Graduation Alliance piloted an attendance recovery program in New Mexico to promising results. As re-engagement experts, Graduation Alliance leveraged its team to locate students who weren’t showing up to class after the pandemic learning upset. The organization brought this service to MCESC districts and helped them locate students, triage support, and, ultimately, get them back in class.

“We can’t stop natural disasters or economic downturns, but we can make sure students have what they need to thrive — that’s what keeps us going,” Cox said. 

This pilot program led to a statewide attendance recovery program, ENGAGE Ohio, which supported nearly 16,000 K-12 students through success coaching and helped districts identify barriers to engagement, such as lack of transportation, childcare responsibilities, and McKinney-Vento eligibility.

“I think that when we have conversations and brainstorm and things like that, good things tend to happen,” Graduation Alliance Vice President of Program Development Carolyn Taylor said. “We don’t always have it figured out right away, but we’ll dig into it and find a way to make things better for students here in Ohio, and that tends to impact students across the country as well.”

Expanding Pathways for the Future (2023-Present)

Though MCESC serves K-12 students, the center champions education at every stage of life. Whether a learner needs their high school diploma or is seeking continuing education, Cox’s team has been at the forefront of Ohio education opportunities. 

“We know that Ohio is the third least transient state in the entire nation, but the population that typically leaves us is the population with intellectual capital,” Cox said. “Specifically, from the K–12 perspective, we knew that the high school diploma was no longer the destination, but it was actually a really pivotal point in the journey.”

But without a high school diploma, individuals never have a chance to continue their journey with a credential or degree. Cox’s dedication helped bring about the Ohio 22+ Adult High School Diploma Program, a high school completion program for adults ages 22 and older who dropped out of school before earning their diplomas. Even though she is not obligated to do so, Cox continually refers parents and former students who have aged out of the public school system to this program so they too can reach the important milestone of high school graduation.

“We can’t just say, ‘Congratulations, you graduated from high school. Have a great rest of your life.’ Even though we bear no responsibility outside of that, as members of this community, we can do better than that. And that’s the attitude we’ve taken,” Cox said.

To date, MCESC has helped more than 300 students graduate from high school through Graduation Alliance — students just like Mason. 

Because of this partnership, Mason graduated an entire year early — just in time for his daughter’s birth.
“Without this program giving me the opportunity to accelerate my education, I would have missed out on valuable time with my precious daughter,” Mason said.

Not only did he earn an accredited high school diploma from his local school district, but he also earned a pharmacy technician license. The flexibility of the program allowed him to work part time, and that role turned into a full-time job. 

Mason said the program transformed what felt like an uncertain future into one of stability and purpose.

“Programs like this are true game changers for young fathers who want to build a strong future for their families,” Mason said. “Thank you for providing this opportunity and helping me create a better life for my daughter and myself.”