Twin Palms Continuation

Twin Palms Continuation is a small, alternative high school serving about 85 students in grades 9-12 within the Palo Verde Unified School District in Blythe, CA, designed to help students who have faced challenges in traditional school settings complete their graduation requirements.

The school faces significant difficulties, with academic proficiency rates in English and math far below both district and state averages, and it has consistently ranked among the lowest-performing high schools in California for years. A primary challenge is chronic absenteeism, with over 85% of students missing a substantial amount of school, which severely impacts learning and contributes to the school's high dropout rate, which reached 33% in one recent year. While the school spends more per student and has a slightly lower student-teacher ratio than Palo Verde High, the traditional high school in the district, these resources have not translated into better outcomes for its students.

Graduation rates at Twin Palms are volatile and generally lower than averages, and performance data shows the school struggles to effectively support all student groups. The entire Palo Verde Unified district performs below state standards, indicating broader community challenges, but the gap between Twin Palms and Palo Verde High in key areas like attendance and dropout rates is particularly stark, suggesting the continuation model requires significant support and potentially new approaches to engage its vulnerable student population.