At Achieve Academy, the school day sometimes pauses for a special announcement. Over the intercom, the principal shares that a student has officially met all graduation requirements. Just like that, a journey worth celebrating is recognized by everyone.

Achieve Academy is a campus that many people don’t fully understand. There are often assumptions about why students attend school there, but those assumptions don’t always reflect the full picture.

Choice High School is at Achieve, a program that students may choose to attend as they work toward completing their high school credits in a different learning environment. Choice provides a flexible, supportive path for students and is separate from the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP), which is also housed at the campus.

DAEP is a temporary placement for students in grades 3-12 who have violated the Student Code of Conduct. It provides an opportunity for accountability and reflection. While it may represent a setback, it’s also a chance for students to reset, learn from their choices, and return to their campus ready to move forward.

“We house both, but on the Choice side, we give kids a chance to graduate who may not have been able to in a traditional setting,” Achieve Academy Principal Janet Wyatt said.

Choice serves high school students and focuses on small class sizes, individualized pacing, and strong academic support. Classes are capped at 16 students, allowing teachers to provide more one-on-one attention. Students complete most of their coursework through Edgenuity, an online learning platform, while teachers provide direct instruction in subjects such as English, math, science, social studies, chemistry, and Spanish.

“We have eight periods. Students change classes every period,” Wyatt said. “We have brain breaks for 15-20 minutes. Students come into the cafeteria to play board games, cards, Connect 4, knit, or just hang out. They may also go outside to the patio area to throw a ball, play cornhole, or just enjoy being outside.”

The campus structure allows students to move at their own pace. While courses are designed to be completed in about nine weeks, many students complete a full year or more of coursework within a single school year.

“No Chromebook goes home with them,” Wyatt said. “Every test and quiz has to be done here. Choice kids don’t feel as much pressure from tests. So kids who aren’t good test takers have multiple opportunities to be successful on the test over here.”

Despite these opportunities, misconceptions about Achieve persist.

“One of the biggest misunderstandings is that all the ‘bad kids’ are over here,” Wyatt said. “Quite honestly, even most DAEP students are here for things like cellphone violations. They are not bad kids. We have the same kid who was at one of the other high schools; they weren’t ‘bad’ over there. Therefore, they aren’t bad over here.”

By law, students in Choice remain completely separate from students in DAEP throughout the school day. They enter through different doors, follow different schedules, and never interact.

The goal of DAEP is to help students return to their home campus after completing their disciplinary placement. Some students who complete their DAEP time choose to enroll in Choice after seeing how the program works.

Many students at Choice simply prefer the smaller environment or want to accelerate their path toward graduation and career goals.

“We had a kid who was #8 at one of our other high schools choose to come over here,” Wyatt said. “She finished her coursework and graduated within a month and got a full ride to one of the University of Texas affiliates.”

There are no clubs, organizations, or sports at Choice. Academics are the focus.

“Typical students here are those who struggle with large high schools or big classes,” said Dani Womack, Achieve’s alternative campus specialist. “Kids that just want to finish and aren’t really interested in the traditional high school experience thrive here.”

The results speak for themselves. Achieve Academy tied with Tibbals Elementary for the highest grade in the district, earning a 96 on the most recent state accountability system ratings.

Choice students may not get to participate in clubs, sports, or all the electives the district’s traditional high schools offer, but they do take part in College Week, Think College Thursdays, Wylie Way Days, and can even earn a Shining the Way award.

Choice offers opportunities that larger schools just can’t accommodate.

“We provide every resource we can,” Wyatt said. “We have retired teachers who work one-on-one or with small groups through tutoring and pull-outs, which is hard to do in a traditional school setting. Kids have to want to fail over here. We also have an outside counselor, free of charge, for kids who may be struggling. Kids here feel seen because they’re not sitting in a class of 30.”

When students complete their final coursework, they are immediately celebrated.

“We put them in a cap and gown, take their picture with a diploma, and play a snippet of ‘Pomp and Circumstance,’” Wyatt said.

The other Choice students and teachers come to the foyer to high-five, fist-bump, and congratulate the most recent Choice graduate.

“It makes them feel pretty special,” Jason Olford, Achieve Academy history teacher, said. “Teachers will say something to their parents or guardians who come to celebrate with them. We also encourage them to come back to walk the stage in May at our commencement ceremony.”

Landyn Castillo completed his coursework and earned his diploma from Achieve on March 6, months ahead of the traditional May graduation.

“I came here to finish early,” Castillo said. “I think it’s better than traditional high school. I'm able to do work at home. I still get to talk with friends. At Choice, you still get the high school experience.”

Now that he has graduated, Castillo plans to work full-time while exploring studies in business management and possibly engineering. Many students might not have finished high school if it weren’t for the Choice program at Achieve Academy.

“We have had kids who were on the verge of dropping out come over here and were successful,” Womack said. “For some, this is their last-ditch effort, and they make it.”

For Olford, the success stories are what make his job meaningful.

“The ones who come here usually want to graduate early or don’t want to be in a big high school setting,” Olford said. “They come here, take care of their business, and get it done. Most are looking to go into the workforce. Some see college as an option; most see trade school as an option.”

Olford, who is also the head track coach at Wylie East, said that Choice is the perfect fit for all types of students, including himself.

“Teaching here is the second-best choice I ever made,” he said. “The first best choice I made was coming to Wylie ISD to teach and coach. If you are a kid trying to get done with school, this is the place for you. If you don’t like being around 2,500-3000 students, this is the place for you. If you thrive in small classroom settings and want one-on-one attention, this is the place for you. I love it here.”

Olford believes the biggest misunderstanding about Achieve Academy mirrors what Wyatt often hears.

“People think this is where all the bad students go,” he said. “We don’t have bad kids, even on the DAEP side. They may have made a bad choice, but they’re not bad kids. These are going to be your future teachers, doctors, nurses, and business owners. That's what I see each and every day.”

For Aiden Young, a sophomore at Choice, the program has dramatically accelerated his academic path. He expects to graduate this August, two years ahead of schedule.

“I’m already on senior-level classes as a sophomore,” Young said. “I chose to enroll in Choice to move on with my life. It’s relaxing over here; sure, you have to get up earlier, but it’s worth it.”

Beyond academics, Achieve prides itself on the connections made between students and staff.

“Relationships are our greatest strength,” Womack said. “Both Choice and DAEP students often leave appreciation notes for teachers.”

That sense of connection is something Olford sees daily.

“The staff here pours into these students,” he said. “If we know they’re struggling, we revisit their goals and make a plan on how we can help them achieve them.”

Even after students leave, many stay connected with their teachers at Achieve Academy.

“Teachers are always hearing from former students who say they miss being here,” Wyatt said. “Because the class sizes are so much smaller, teachers and students have the opportunity to build authentic relationships.”

While Choice may not offer everything a traditional high school does, such as extracurriculars or dual-credit courses, its purpose is clear: helping students succeed academically and graduate.

Students who complete their coursework this school year are invited to walk the stage at the Choice High School commencement ceremony in May to accept their diplomas. This ceremony is very similar to the Wylie High and Wylie East graduations, with the school board on stage and parents cheering graduates on in the audience.

“When our students graduate, their diplomas carry the exact same weight as any other Wylie ISD graduate,” Wyatt said.