Jennifer Mason, principal of Lawton Public Schools’ Virtual Academy, is preparing for an influx of students seeking to finish their high school education, after action by the state Legislature.
Senate Bill 745, passed earlier this year, allows residents aged 19-30 who do not have a high school diploma to take classes virtually to finish their degrees. SB 745 makes some key changes to SB 1307, which was passed in 2024. The two main changes are raising the age of prospective students from 26 to 30 and allowing students to attend classes virtually.
“SB 745 enables more adults to earn a high school diploma,” said Doug Brown, assistant superintendent for Educational Services for Lawton Public Schools. “SB 745 helps individuals improve employment prospects, earning potential, and ability to pursue higher education, which in turn benefits Oklahoma’s communities and strengthens the state’s and local workforce.”
Adults who meet the criteria may attend virtual classes free of charge with LPS.
“This builds on SB 1307, which put the age at 21-25 and was an in-school program,” Mason said of the bill. “It is for adults looking to obtain a high school diploma. They may be in the workforce already and are trying for a better job opportunity.”
Mason said all course work can be completed online, without an instructor, at the student’s convenience. If a student needs assistance, instructors will be available.
“Virtual allows them to be flexible,” Mason said. “They can do the work between kids’ activities. There are no set hours to do the work.”
Mason said the bill is aimed at adults who may have not been able to complete their high school education for whatever reason, including those who were in school in 2020 during the pandemic and may not have finished.
“(They) are now 23-24 years old. If they just couldn’t finish, now is the time,” she said.
Those interested in enrolling in the program are asked to complete a survey, which can be accessed by visiting Lawton Public Schools’ website at lawtonps.org and clicking on Enroll Today and selecting “Lawton’s Second Start.” Adults also may email Mason at jmason@lawtonps.org
Classes will start Aug. 14, when Lawton Public Schools students return to the classroom, but Mason said students may enter the virtual program at any time since they work at their own pace. Classes are virtual and all assistance will be through various digital platforms; ZOOM , Google Meets, Google Classroom etc.
LPS will work with any adult student who needs a device to work to complete their coursework. They can coordinate with administrators at Douglass Learning Center upon completing the enrollment process.
At the moment, Mason is working to get the word out about the program and to identify prospective students.
“We want to talk to different local businesses who have people who need to complete their education. Their employees may not hear about this; the employer may need to talk to them,” Mason said.
Mason anticipates adults being excited about this opportunity.
“Maybe when they were younger they didn’t see the importance (of earning a high school diploma). I think there will be a lot of adults who want to take advantage of this,” she said.
“Everyone deserves the opportunity to complete their education, regardless of past circumstances, and the LPS school community is eager to support them,” Brown said.