Alternative Education

Providing focused, alternative daytime, extended day, and summer learning opportunities to support student achievement leading to graduation.

The Department of Alternative Education (DAE) offers students in grades K-12 engaging, innovative programs through experiential, hands-on, and project-based learning. Programs are held during the school day, extended-day, and in summer. DAE also supports three alternative high schools.

Contact Us

Contact the Department of Alternative Education for questions regarding:

Summer Learning Programs
Extended Day for Learning
Credit Recovery

Phone: 651-744-8020

After School Programs

After-school programs offer instructional programming for students in grades K-12, providing additional learning time to enhance academic and social-emotional skills, explore new interests and talents and foster friendships.

Programs include:

Elementary Extended Day for Learning (EDL)
Middle School Extended Day for Learning (EDL)
High School Credit Recovery Network (CRN)
High School English Language Development (ELD)

Students can participate in these programs voluntarily and at no cost, allowing them to achieve academic proficiency, stay on grade level, and remain on track to graduate.

All programs are FREE
Afternoon programs include snacks
Transportation may be offered per SPPS guidelines, and the availability of bus drivers

Elementary

EDL

Calendar

Middle

EDL & Flipside

Calendar

High School

CRN / EDL

Alternative Secondary Schools

Elementary

Extended Day for Learning (EDL)

Extended Day for Learning (EDL)

Extended Day for Learning (EDL) offers students fun, engaging activities to strengthen academic and social emotional skills. Instrumental Music, FIRST LEGO League, and Freedom School Express are available at some schools for select grade levels. Licensed teachers and community partners provide a variety of hands-on STEM, Arts, P.E., Instrumental Music and Math/Literacy experiences to get students excited about learning while making new friends and improving their skills.

Transportation: Varies by site, contact your student's school or visit their school website for more information.

How to register: Contact your student's school or visit their school website for more information.

2025-26 Elementary (EDL) Calendar

Extended Day Learning (EDL)

EDL courses include an academic and/or social component and include active, hands-on alternative learning experiences for students. Popular programs like debate, theater, music, FIRST LEGO League, etc. may be offered through EDL and courses may also originate from student interests. EDL programs are taught by school staff.

Which schools will offer EDL programs during 2025-26?
Extended Day for Learning (EDL) courses may be offered two days per week at the following schools:

Barack and Michelle Obama Middle School
Capitol Hill Gifted & Talented Magnet
Creative Arts Secondary
East African Magnet
E-STEM Middle School
Global Arts Plus Upper Campus
Hazel Park Preparatory Academy
Hidden River Middle School
Murray Middle School

EDL Start Date: The week of October 20, 2025

Transportation: Varies by site, contact your student's school or visit their school website for more information.

How to register: Contact your student's school or visit their school website for more information.

2025-26 Middle School EDL & Flipside Combined Calendar

Flipside

Flipside is an after-school combination of Extended Day for Learning (EDL) and Community Education programs. Students attending Flipside participate in both components. Flipside is designed to have a positive impact on student achievement and social emotional skills. The program develops partnerships with schools, families, and the community. Flipside is intentionally designed to achieve program outcomes for participation, experience, and quality.

Which schools will offer EDL & Flipside programs in 2025-26?
With the support of Community Education and grant funding, EDL & Flipside will be offered four days per week at the following schools:

American Indian Magnet School
Battle Creek Middle School
Farnsworth Aerospace Upper Campus
Highland Park Middle School
Humboldt Secondary School
Open World Learning (OWL) Community
Txuj Ci Upper Campus
Washington Technology Magnet School

Flipside Anticipated Start Date: October 6, 2025.

Transportation: Yellow bus transportation is provided at Flipside locations to begin the school year to begin the school year, but may be reduced based on program attendance. Consistent student attendance is vital to maintaining transportation availability.

How to register: Contact your student's school or visit their school website for more information.

2025-26 Middle School EDL & Flipside Combined Calendar

Middle School After-School Activities FAQs

This school year, Flipside programming will be offered at eight middle schools. Other after-school activities will also be available, and will vary by school. Please see below for additional information.

Outside of athletics, what after-school opportunities will be available for middle school students?

Which schools will offer Flipside programs in 2025-26?

With the support of grant funding, Flipside will be offered four days per week at the following schools:

American Indian Magnet School
Battle Creek Middle School
Farnsworth Aerospace Upper Campus
Highland Park Middle School
Humboldt
Open World Learning Community
Txuj Ci Upper Campus
Washington Technology Magnet School

These programs will run Monday through Thursday and will be supported by full-time Community Education Flipside coordinators in each building. 2025-26 Middle School EDL/Flipside Calendar

My child’s school will not offer Flipside. What does this mean?

Extended Day for Learning (EDL) courses may be offered at the following schools:

Capitol Hill Gifted & Talented Magnet
Creative Arts Secondary
E-STEM Middle School
Hazel Park Preparatory Academy
Hidden River Middle School
Murray Middle School
Global Arts Plus Upper Campus
Hazel Park Preparatory Academy
Hidden River Middle School
Murray Middle School

EDL courses include an academic and/or social component and include active, hands-on alternative learning experiences for students. Popular programs like debate, theater, music, etc. may be offered through EDL and courses may also originate from student interests. EDL programs are taught by school staff and are offered two days per week.
2025-26 Middle School EDL/Flipside Calenda

How do I register for Flipside or EDL?

When will after-school activities begin?

Will transportation be available for after-school programs?

Busing will depend on after-school student enrollment and driver availability.

Flipside Schools: Yellow bus transportation is provided at Flipside locations to begin the school year, but may be reduced based on program attendance. Consistent attendance is vital to maintaining transportation availability.
EDL Schools: Yellow bus transportation will be available to start the school year at a limited number of schools based on attendance, ridership projections, and driver availability. Contact your school for more information.
Middle School Athletics: Yellow bus transportation may be available for student athletes at Flipside schools and some EDL schools. Families should contact their school’s Athletic Director for more information.

High School - Credit Recovery Network (CRN)

SPPS Students
Non-SPPS Students

SPPS Students

Credit Recovery Network (CRN) enables students to make up credits for graduation. CRN offers a flexible pathway for students who need to recover credits for courses they did not pass. Scholars complete course materials that are online and self-paced. Scheduled Google Meets are available for scholars to ask questions about material, get help on assignments, review feedback, or connect with teachers. Google Meets are optional as long as students are making progress in the course.

Students work closely with their school counselors to determine which courses need to be recovered. Students start with up to two courses. Upon successful completion of a course, they can enroll in additional courses as needed. Scholars are encouraged to complete courses within four weeks. They can finish early to enroll in additional credit recovery courses, or they can have more time as long as they are submitting work each week. By participating in credit recovery, students can improve their academic performance, regain credits, and successfully meet their graduation requirements.

Each course is worth one credit and graded as passed (P) or no pass (NP). 60% is required for successful completion of the course and for a P to be posted in the scholar's transcript.

Credit Recovery Network runs October 13, 2025 - May 27, 2026
Connect with your SPPS counselor to learn more about Credit Recovery Network.

English Language Development (ELD) courses are taught after school at select SPPS sites. Students receiving ELL services continue to develop literacy knowledge by building their speaking, listening, writing, and reading skills through courses connected to real-world applications.

Non-SPPS Students

Non-SPPS students can enroll in Credit Recovery Network (CRN) for online courses through Saint Paul Public Schools. Check out the section above to learn more about Credit Recovery Network.

Non-SPPS students must provide their own device and internet to access the curriculum.

The scholar's counselor from their current district requests an SPPS Credit Recovery Network enrollment and requests the needed classes by filling out a form. To request the form, counselors should send an email to Candy.Pagel@spps.org

Enrollment will be determined by SPPS based on availability. Students will be emailed course and login information on the Friday before the course date.

Credit Recovery Network	Quarter 1	Quarter 2	Quarter 3	Quarter 4
Counselor requests due	9/30/25	11/25/25	2/10/26	4/21/26
Students emailed course info	10/10/25	12/5/25	2/20/26	4/27/26
Courses start	10/13/25	12/8/25	2/23/26	5/4/26
Goal is to complete the first schedule of courses by	11/5/25	1/14/26	3/18/26	All courses end on 5/27
Goal is to complete the first schedule of courses by	As long as scholars are participating each week, their enrollment continues to finish current courses or add new ones

Alternative Secondary Schools

Saint Paul Public Schools uses a nationally recognized alternative education model to provide non-traditional educational programs to help students earn their high school diplomas. Each school year hundreds of students are enrolled in one of our three diploma-granting alternative education secondary programs.

Gateway to College

Gateway to College, located at LEAP High School, is a comprehensive program offering students the opportunity to finish high school while beginning college. Founded in 2013, Gateway to College creates a caring community that supports broad college opportunities by developing relationships and personalizing education plans in a challenging learning environment with collegiate expectations for all learners.

Gordon Parks High School

LEAP High School

Extended Day for Learning 2025-26 Job Opportunities

Extended Day for Learning 2025-26 Job Opportunities
Frequently Asked Questions

Extended Day for Learning 2025-26 Job Opportunities

Extended Day for Learning (EDL), held through SPPS Department of Alternative Education (DAE), takes place at schools 2-4 days per week October-May. The program provides focused, alternative opportunities to support student achievement leading to graduation, including credit recovery for students in grades 9-12.

Licensed and non-licensed staff are hired to work in leadership and support staff roles. Consider this employment opportunity. It’s a great way to earn extra income and help your school’s students grow academically, socially and emotionally.

School site leader will be chosen by September 2, 2025 and the deadline for hiring teachers and support staff is September 15, 2025. If you are interested in working during EDL, let your school’s principal and/or EDL site leader know.

Contact your school’s principal and/or the following DAE staff to find out more information about leadership and support staff EDL 2025-26 opportunities:

Grades K-5: thy.dung.nguyen@spps.org
Grades 6-8 & Instrumental Music: gina.engelking@spps.org
Grades 9-12: elizabeth.mercil@spps.org
FIRST LEGO League: jennifer.ratte@spps.org

Frequently Asked Questions

Summer Learning Programs

Thanks for a great summer, we hope to see you in 2026!

SPPS Summer Programs Make Learning Fun!

more information

Summer 2025 - Job Opportunitites

Hiring for summer 2025 positions for Summer Learning Programs (SLP), Extended School Year (ESY), and CDF Freedom Schools will start in February. Positions are available for clerks, support staff, teachers, counselors, and site leaders. Individuals should review the job descriptions in PeopleSoft for details about job duties, expectations, pay, etc. Reaching out to Summer 2025 Principals/Site Administrators to express interest in a position is recommended.

Current SPPS employees (internal candidates) should complete this online interest form if they have not connected with a principal. Responses on this form will be shared with summer leaders who are looking for staff positions.
External applicants must submit the PeopleSoft application.

If agreeing to work or applying for a position that requires a license and the applicant’s license expires June 30, 2025, the applicant must renew their license effective before the first day of the session they are working. Teachers cannot work without a current license.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) for Summer Learning Programs 2025

Questions?

Contact the Department of Alternative Education