Every school district tries their best to prevent students from dropping out, and for Mid-Prairie, that prevention comes in the form of their alternative learning center (ALC). At their most recent meeting, the Mid-Prairie School Board passed a resolution to continue funding the ALC in their continued effort to keep dropout rates low. Superintendent Mark Schneider explains, “In order to get the (money) to fund the at-risk program, the board has to pass a resolution. So they passed a resolution in the amount of a little over $282,000 at the board meeting to fund our program.”

The Mid-Prairie ALC provides students in grades 10-12 an alternative way to earn a high school diploma. It uses a similar curriculum, but students work at an individualized pace. The district believes the ALC is a valuable tool in keeping kids in school by catering to specific needs and circumstances. The average number of students learning in the ALC is 25 students a year. The school is currently in the process of building a new facility in Wellman for their ALC program, which will also serve as the administrative building.