Conclusion: Grateful for Progress

Thousands of students enter the PAUSD secondary school system each year, each taking another step to carve their own path. Through these initiatives, PAUSD has worked to provide students of various needs and backgrounds with an education that uplifts them, whether they’re in the hospital or looking to have more independence in their learning.

For example, choosing Middle College challenged Chiu’s daughter to develop her weaknesses.

“She has a 504 and executive functioning is something she struggles with,” Chiu said. “But the experience of Middle College has required her to put in more executive functioning, because she’s not in the structure of the school where everyone’s doing the same thing.

For Salcman these additional educational programs give opportunities to children who would not have had them otherwise.

“I’m very grateful for the fact that my son is growing up in today’s world and not the world I grew up in,” Salcman said. “As a society and as an educational system, we’ve made tons of progress, and I think what’s important is that we keep looking for ways to improve.”