Passage For Class 2 Students
Xena Donovan
On this page you will find information on student employment outcomes, entering class statistics and our student body profile, and bar passage rates. For additional information, please contact the office of admissions.
Get a rundown of our employment statistics, class demographics, bar passage and tuition rates, and important dates and deadlines in our "Quick Facts" brochure, available online as well as in a downloadable PDF format.
The El Dorado County Board of Education serves as the Authorizer and Governing Board for the Rite of Passage Charter High School. The Rite of Passage Charter received charter number 55 from the California State Board of Education in 1994. The El Dorado County Office of Education provides all administrative, instructional, and financial support for the educational and vocational training programs. The Charter focuses on core academics and career/college pathways.
The Rite of Passage '7/24/365' residential treatment sites have enabled thousands of at-risk youth to move beyond their troubled home lives and negative former school experiences. Providing dramatic behavioral and lifestyle changes, the Rite of Passage treatment programs provide a unique, proactive setting for education.
Rite of Passage Charter High School, sponsored by El Dorado County Office of Education, offers a 250-day school year for students. This extended school year provides students with multiple opportunities to obtain credits toward a high school diploma and complete a variety of certification programs to support students as they pursue a career and/or college. Students, who are most often placed at R.O.P. through juvenile court adjudication or social service agencies, discover a focused, personalized learning environment. EDCOE teaching staff and students benefit from the presence of R.O.P. "coaches" in each classroom, reinforcing structures in the classroom that support accelerated learning. As a result, graduation from high school becomes a real prospect for students who have traditionally failed in mainstream public education.
Rite of Passage High School is WASC accredited and has earned distinction in several areas of education and vocational training. Staff at ROPCHS meet the needs of students with a diverse ethnic and cultural background as well as a broad range of aptitudes and disparate educational experiences. Academic proficiency and career/college readiness remain priorities, with a focus on the Common Core State Standards. The following curricular areas are emphasized in the program:
Students enter ROPCHS with various levels of written and verbal skills. Many students come from bilingual homes and communities. Addressing the needs of each student requires skillful teaching methods.
MAP (Measure of Academic Progress from NWEA) serves as a primary assessment tool to measure student reading levels when they enter the program and at regular intervals during their stay at R.O.P. With the average length of stay being approximately 6 months, it is critical that teachers have accurate assessment information to determine the needs of each student and make the best use of the time that they have in the program.
The Accelerated Reader (AR) program is also used to motivate students to read a variety of texts and to improve reading comprehension. The AR reading program addresses Special Education and non-Special Education students, preparing low-level readers for our high school curriculum courses in all subject areas.
Recognizing the number of students with gaps in their educational experience, the Mathematics program at ROPCHS campuses offer a variety of levels of math that cover basic math concepts through Algebra 2. Using MAP as a guide, teachers are able to identify student strengths and weaknesses so that they can be placed in the most appropriate course for their needs.
Students who are prepared for high school level courses such as Algebra, Geometry, and Algebra 2, are provided with small-group direct instruction combined with an online curriculum that supports their learning.
It is frequently the case that students are interested in learning more about science as they interact with so much of it in our world. Our capable and creative science instructors address a spectrum of student needs and abilities within the science courses. Moderate class sizes assure that those students who formerly struggled with science in a public school setting receive the kind of attention necessary for success. Using small-group and individualized teaching methods, students have the opportunity to excel, and successful graduates meet pre-college levels of competency.
Our emphasis on scientific inquiry encourages student engagement in the scientific process. Within our science programs, students also have the opportunity to explore related careers, including landscape design and health studies.
High school level World History, U.S. History, U.S. Government and Economics serve as an optimal opportunity for ROPCHS students to expand their social and cultural awareness while improving life skills. The multi-ethnic and multi-cultural attributes of our student population provide a rich environment for students to become more aware of the cultural diversity---and similarities---found in American communities today.
Emphasis on physical training has been a key element in the Rite of Passage programs. P.E. classes and organized sports include coaching by physical trainers and former college and professional athletes.
Sports such as football, soccer, basketball, baseball, tennis, golf, track, cross-country, bicycling, wrestling, and skiing (alpine and cross-country) form the roster of organized outlets that students can enjoy. Teamwork, sportsmanship, physical fitness and self-esteem are all areas of focus for the program.
As part of the Rite of Passage treatment program, students attend life skills classes, including Anger Management, Gang Affiliation, Drug and Alcohol Dependency, Victim Empathy, Family Reunification, and Teen Parenting. Students also participate in a career-focused program as they explore their interests for the future. Additionally, through a Positive Peer Culture behavioral modification strategy, students regularly attend Guided Group Meetings that further promote sensible conflict resolution and constructive peer influence.
Life Skills, OSHA training, CPR, Shop Practices and Vocational Orientation classes complement the students' vocational training and transition into adult life. We offer elective credits for these subjects while promoting a higher likelihood of employment and successful, independent living.
In addition to our success in the core academic arena, ROPCHS offers a variety of vocational training pathways. The skill set and work ethic that results from each of these intensive training programs leads students to be more likely to obtain jobs that will support them in the future.
Often struggling to help them see the importance of what we do, seniors are a unique breed of students that need special attention. If we do it right, teaching them can be the most rewarding experience. If not done well, it can be a sometimes grueling experience, not for the faint of heart.
Senior year is the last lap of a very long compulsory race where students are asked to play the game in almost painful, useless ways. By the time they get to June, colleges have received deposits and seniors are on autopilot doing as little as possible to make it to the end.
There are a few things seniors look forward to in June though that break from the mundane. Often they are things romanticized in movies: senior cut day, prom and graduation, possible a senior prank if your school does that kind of thing. They wait for years to be able to participate in these important rites of passage.
Seeing the students at prom is the most profound way to see this transformation. All dressed up, poised and ready to have fun. Their make up, flawless, the tuxes tucked. Exiting their limos they seem ready to for the world. I believe it and I realize they will soon be onto the next part of their journeys.
PASSAGE USA, (Preparing All Students Socially and Academically for Gainful Employment) is a postsecondary, non-degree, certificate program. This program is designed for students with intellectual disabilities, who need extra supports to be successful in our community. Through person-centered planning, we help students define their goals for their future. These goals are turned into an individualized Adult Education Plan (AEP) in which we target the skills they need to achieve their goals. These skills include independent living, social, employment, and self-determination skills. Students in the program will be full university campus members, which includes: Access to campus recreation Academic inclusion in classes Inclusion in campus social activities Students attend elective classes with other USA students, as well as, attend specialized classes that target the skills they need to achieve their goals. They participate in a work internship each semester. Peer Mentors (other USA students) act as natural supports on and off campus to help foster independence and learning.
PEP Summer Camp offers a 2-night, 3-day camp for high school students with intellectual disabilities and a second camp for young adults interested in exploring a postsecondary education experience. Campers will be assigned a private room in a USA residential hall and eat in on-campus cafeterias. At least one chaperone per 5 campers will be provided in the residential halls, including direct overnight supervision. Campers will also participate in mini classes and receive an individualized plan detailing the skills to enhance their postsecondary education readiness, independent living, and employment skills. For more information about PEP Camp go to:
We have an un-endowed scholarship fund exclusively for students in PASSAGE USA. All available money is awarded to applicants who complete the entire scholarship application and who have a financial need.
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