For students who need an alternative to the traditional school environment, AISD offers the following options for receiving credits or getting a high school diploma.

Gonzalo Garza Independence High School

Gonzalo Garza Independence High School is an open enrollment/choice school designed to meet the needs of students who:

• Have experienced unusual life circumstances that have created barriers to graduation;
• Have dropped out or are likely to drop out of regular high school programs;
• Wish to pursue a high school education as part of a comprehensive program that provides integrated health and social services and prepares students for post-secondary options; and
• Will profit from and thrive in a non-traditional approach to learning characterized by integrated, interdisciplinary curriculum that is problem and project based and enhanced by access to technology.
• Students may enroll in Garza High School at any time during the school year, provided there is space available.
• The school day is divided into four instructional blocks beginning at 9:00 am and ending at 3:00 pm.
• Students may choose appropriate courses based on their individual needs. Students must adhere to the school's "Code of Honor" and meet local and state requirements for graduation.
• Third year students who have earned ten credits or more are preferred for admission.

For more information, contact Garza Independence High School at 414-8614.

DELTA Program (Diversified Education Through Leadership, Technology, Academics)

The DELTA Program is an academic program available to students enrolled in each Austin ISD comprehensive high school, the Alternative Learning Center, Gardner Betts Leadership Program and Half-way House, Phoenix House, JJAEP, Travis County Detention Center, Cristo Rey La Fuente Center, and Garza Independence High School.

The goal of the DELTA Program is to provide an individualized, self-paced instructional program for recovered and potential dropouts that will help students earn academic credits and graduate from high school.

• Students apply for admission to DELTA, and upon acceptance, they develop an academic plan.
• DELTA students typically spend 2 hours daily in the DELTA lab where they work to complete self-paced learning modules.
• The modules include textbook assignments, experimental activities and lessons on NovaNET, a computer assisted instruction (CAI) program.
• There is no credit minimum and no expectation that students have mastered TAKS before enrolling in DELTA.
• DELTA is an open-entry/open-exit program. Contact your high school counselor for additional information.

Virtual School Program (VSP)

The Virtual School Program is a non-traditional, home-based academic program that is available to high school seniors.

The goal of the program is to provide academic opportunities for students who are unable to participate in a traditional classroom setting, most often because they are parents and/or must work fulltime for economic reasons.

• Students in the VSP may earn academic course credits and graduate from high school.
• Students apply for admission to VSP, and upon acceptance, an academic plan is developed.
• VSP students typically spend 2-4 hours daily completing self-paced lessons at home on a internet ready laptop assigned to them.
• Specially trained VSP teachers meet three times per week with students for a total of five hours per week.
• Like DELTA, the VSP is an open entry/open-exit program.

For more information, contact the high school counsel or registrar at your campus.

Johnston Twilight School

Only JHS students are eligible for services- however, schools can use this program as a model for developing a twilight school on their own campus.

• Twilight school targets students who are behind with credits and who have been retained two or more times during the secondary years.
• The main goal of Twilight School is to have students regain the necessary course credits for appropriate grade classification and re-enter the regular high school program as quickly as possible.
• All students must be approved through Mr. Harris before admission to the school.
• A parent or guardian must attend an orientation session with their student before being considered for admission.
• Twilight School students have a counselor assigned to them.
• The counselor works with the Twilight School Project Specialist to schedule classes appropriate to each student.
• The Twilight School Project Specialist works with the corresponding administrator on issues related to attendance, discipline, and academic progress.

Program Description:

• Classes are held from 4:30 - 8:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. Students may choose to attend Saturday School for extra assistance or D.E.L.T.A.
• Twilight School is comprised of: individual instruction, group instruction, independent work and group projects.
• Students receive report cards and grades every six weeks.
• Parents are called daily if students do not attend and at the end of the six weeks to provide a follow up to the report card.
• Dinner is provided for students every night.