Serenity High School is the oldest substance-abuse recovery public high school in

Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

.Piloto, Connie, "Serenity may be model for other schools Fate of financially shaky campus unclear despite national attention."

Dallas Morning News ''The Dallas Morning News'' is a daily newspaper serving the Dallas–Fort Worth area of Texas, with an average print circulation in 2022 of 65,369. It was founded on October 1, 1885, by Alfred Horatio Belo as a satellite publication of the ' ...

. 2002-10-16
Google News
/ref>"Serenity High State funding should build support for McKinney school."

. 2003-11-2
Google News
/ref> It was founded in 1999 as a partnership between the

McKinney Independent School District McKinney Independent School District (McKinney ISD) is a public independent school district in McKinney, Texas, United States. In addition to McKinney, the district serves the town of New Hope, Texas, New Hope and parts of Allen, Texas, Allen, ...

and the Avenues Counseling Center in McKinney, Texas, and serves several

school districts A school district is a special-purpose district that operates local public primary or secondary schools or both in various countries. It is not to be confused with an attendance zone, which is within a school district and is used to assign stud ...

in and around

Collin County, Texas Collin County is a county in the northern part of the U.S. state of Texas. It is part of the Dallas- Fort Worth- Arlington metropolitan statistical area, and a small portion of the city of Dallas is in the county. At the 2020 United States c ...

. As of November 2008, it has served over 150 graduates from over 25 high schools. The school was rated Academically Acceptable in the 2009 TEA accountability rating.

Academics

Serenity High offers traditional instruction, self-paced studies, online instruction, and dual-credit instruction in conjunction with

Collin College Collin College is a Public college, public community college district in Texas. Established in 1985, the district has grown as the county has grown from around 5,000 students in 1986 to more than 60,000 credit and noncredit students. Formerl ...

.Serenity High School - Curriculum and Academics
retrieved 2008-11-30 It has a student-teacher ratio of 10 to 1.Mission of Serenity High
retrieved 2008-11-30

Funding

Serenity High School is funded through the McKinney ISD, state funding, and private fundraising.Save Serenity: Alternative school cannot survive without other districts' support."

. 2004-11-04
Google News
/ref> Out-of-district students pay tuition or have their local school districts pay tuition on their behalf. In 2002 and 2003, the school district considered closing the school due to costs. Private funds kept it open."Serenity High is at financial low: Program for recovering teen addicts given ultimatum."

. 2002-07-05
Google News
/ref>Price, Lori, "For now, Serenity's halls stay open District to run school through spring - if $30,000 is paid."

. 2003-01-2
Google News
/ref>Price, Lori, "McKinney trustees approve cuts: Board rejects axing alternative schools, block scheduling."

. 2003-05-2
Google News
/ref> In the fall of 2003, the school received a $160,000 grant from the

Texas Education Agency The Texas Education Agency (TEA) is the branch of the government of Texas responsible for public education in Texas in the United States.

. As of November 2008, private fundraising efforts included an annual golf tournament.Serenity High Golf Classic fundraising letter
, 2008-10-03.

Affiliations and accreditations

The school is in the McKinney Independent School District and is affiliated with the Association of Recovery Schools. In addition, students from the Anna ISD, Blue Ridge ISD,

Community ISD The Community Independent School District (CISD) is a public school district based in Nevada, Texas, United States. Established in 1947, the district serves students in southeastern Collin County, including the towns of Copeville, Josephine, ...

Farmersville ISD Farmersville Independent School District is a public school district based in Farmersville, Texas (USA). In 2009, the school district was rated " academically acceptable" by the Texas Education Agency. Schools * Farmersville High School (Gr ...

Frisco ISD Frisco Independent School District is a public school district based in Frisco, Texas, United States. The district covers portions of Denton and Collin counties, including portions of the cities of Frisco, Little Elm, Plano, and McKinney as ...

Gunter ISD Gunter Independent School District is a public school district based in Gunter, Texas (USA). Located in Gunter, Grayson County, the district extends into a very small portion of northern Collin County. It previously served high school stude ...

Melissa ISD Melissa Independent School District is a public school district based in Melissa, Texas (USA). In addition to Melissa, the district serves a small portion of Weston and McKinney. In 2009, the school district was rated " recognized" by the T ...

Plano ISD Plano Independent School District (PISD or Plano ISD) is an independent school district in southwestern Collin County, Texas, United States, based in Plano. PISD is the 18th largest school district in Texas and the 82nd largest in the United ...

Rockwall ISD Rockwall Independent School District is a public school district established in 1841 in Rockwall, Texas. In addition to Rockwall, the district serves the cities of Heath, McLendon-Chisholm, Mobile City, most of Fate, and small portions of ...

, and Wylie ISD may attend without paying out-of-district tuition. The school is accredited by the

State of Texas Texas ( , ; or ) is the most populous U.S. state, state in the South Central United States, South Central region of the United States. It borders Louisiana to the east, Arkansas to the northeast, Oklahoma to the north, New Mexico to the we ...

but did not receive a rating for the 2007-2008 school yearMISD Campus Ratings 2007-2008 School Year
retrieved 2008-11-30

National attention

In 2002, federal officials considering creating similar schools in the United States said the school could serve as a national model.

References

External links

Association of Recovery SchoolsAvenues Counseling CenterInterview

KNTU-FM KNTU (88.1 FM) is the radio station owned and operated by the University of North Texas. The signal of the station covers much of the Dallas and Fort Worth Metroplex with an indie alternative format. KNTU also produces the UNT football an ...

radio interviews Principal Juli Ferraro and two students. Also: Interview with Traci Bowermaster, the chair of the Association of Recovery Schools, Interview with Mandy Baker of the Center for the Study of Addictions at

Texas Tech University Texas Tech University (Texas Tech, Tech, or TTU) is a public university, public research university in Lubbock, Texas, United States. Established on February 10, 1923, and called Texas Technological College until 1969, it is the flagship instit ...

.
Serenity High School demographic information
{{authority control Educational institutions established in 1999 McKinney Independent School District high schools 1999 establishments in Texas