The mission of Empower Academy is to guide all students to achieve academic excellence in a safe, secure, and nurturing environment.

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The vision of Empower Academy is to become a recognized leader in public education, meeting the needs of a diverse student population prepared to succeed in a global society.

Empower Academy is a choice program open to all BCS middle or high school students who:

• are currently enrolled in a BCS school in grades 6-12,

• are in their first or second year of enrollment in a U.S. school,

• have been identified as English Learners based on their home language survey and WIDA screener score,

• may have formal/limited interrupted education, and 

Our program offers a culturally responsive pathway to support English Learners as they begin their new academic journey in our school district. Our certified teachers and paraprofessionals provide sheltered instruction and multilingual services for our students and their families to make them feel welcome in our community.

All our students must first complete enrollment in their zoned school. Then, the ESL teacher together with the front office staff, data manager, and the high school counselor refer these students to the ESL program specialists to obtain a schedule and a bus route. Our program offers free breakfast and lunch, school supplies, and transportation between the zoned school and our middle or high school locations.

When a student is eligible to attend Empower Academy, one of our staff members will communicate directly with the legal guardian to explain our services and obtain their written and verbal consent, as well as to provide them with a start date.