Challenge: Finding Hope at the Edge of Giving Up

When Austin R. walked into Ms. Jasmitila Duran’s office at Lawrence High School in Lawrence, Massachusetts, he told her plainly, “I think I’m going to drop out.”

Austin was a junior, under-credited in five classes, and he was balancing school with work and caring for his autistic younger sister at home. Graduation felt impossible.

But Ms. Duran, director of operations for the Upper School Academy, didn’t let him walk away. Instead, she helped build a plan around him, one that would come to define a model of support and a symbol of what’s possible, now known across the school as “The Austin Plan.”

Many educators know Austin’s academic story. Early failures in classes due to language barriers (English is his second language) were compounded by inconsistent attendance, low motivation, and the growing responsibilities he faced at home. By the time Austin was a senior, the weight of missed credits and personal obstacles made school feel like a losing battle.

“I used to just not try,” Austin said. “There was so much going on at home. I was taking care of my sister, and when I wasn’t doing that, I was working. Sometimes, there just wasn’t time.”

Fortunately, Ms. Duran saw more than a struggling student; she saw potential. 

“We do data audits in the summer to identify students who may need intervention, but sometimes, what they need most is someone to believe they can still make it,” she explained. “That’s where the Student Support Center and Edmentum came in.”

Solution: Creating a Systemwide Approach to Reengagement

Lawrence High School’s Student Support Center is more than a tutoring space. It’s the heart of a reengagement model rooted in high expectations, consistency, flexibility, and care. Open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., it offers access to mentor teachers, a quiet space to work, and a pathway to credit recovery through Edmentum.

“When a student is under-credited, they’re often only offered two options: alternative programming or summer school,” Ms. Duran clarified. “But with Edmentum, we realized we could create a third option—one that keeps students in their community, surrounded by people who know them and care.”

For Austin, the Edmentum platform was critical. It allowed him to make up credits at his own pace—at home, after work, or on weekends—while he was still receiving individualized support. 

“He couldn’t always join us in person, but our mentors were flexible,” described Ms. Duran. “We’d jump on Zoom calls, find a quiet space at school, or rearrange schedules.”.

The plan was more than just academics; it wrapped around Austin’s full reality. He was enrolled in an English 1 class—not for credit, but to build language fluency. He joined a vaping education course to address health habits. Teachers monitored his progress closely through Edmentum’s data tools, identifying problem areas and stepping in with support. 

Ms. Duran made sure that there was no escaping accountability. 

“She’d see me in the hallway and wouldn’t even say good morning,” Austin joked. “She’d say, ‘Did you do your Edmentum?’”

But he knew she cared. 

“She was one of the only ones who kept knocking on the door,” Austin declared.

Result: Providing a Path to Graduation and a Hope-Filled Future

Austin’s academic turnaround was slow at first. 

“The hardest part was just opening the Chromebook,” Austin admitted. “But after a while, I started enjoying it. I felt like, ‘OK, this is me and the Chromebook—let’s do it.”

What began as academic recovery soon became transformation. Austin stopped skipping class. Suspensions became a thing of the past. He found confidence in his learning—so much so that he began requesting additional courses, just for practice. “I started reading this story in one of my Edmentum courses, and I couldn’t wait to get home to find out what happened next,” he remarked.

Austin will not only graduate in 2025, but he also has made up all his missing credits and transformed his academic identity. The student once assumed to be heading to an alternative program is now a symbol of resilience. 

“I went from getting suspended to having no suspensions,” Austin reflected. “I stopped skipping class. I stopped going to parties. I started believing that I could do this.”

He has applied to an electrician trade program after high school, and for the first time, Austin sees a future that’s stable and self-determined. 

“I want to have a stable life,” he commented. “I want to have my own place—to take care of my family the right way.”

Ms. Duran sees Austin’s success as a blueprint. 

“The Austin Plan is now the standard for what’s possible,” she illustrated. “It means no Saturday absences, strong mentor relationships, flexibility through Edmentum, and a whole team behind the student. It’s a plan we now use to guide others who feel like they’ve run out of time.”

These layers of support continue to help students from all walks of life find success.

“We have students recovering credits, recovering class time, even supporting their parents with English by using Edmentum at home,” Ms. Duran informed. “We’re not just catching kids up. We’re changing how they see themselves as learners.”

When asked what he’d say to someone in his shoes, Austin was clear: “Don’t give up. It’s hard, but it’s worth it. You just have to take that first step.”