Original Research by School Decision on Independent Study Program
The Independent Study Program is an alternative high school serving grades nine through twelve within the Omaha Public Schools district. This is a specialized program, not a traditional comprehensive high school, and its structure and purpose are fundamentally different from a neighborhood school. Because it is an alternative school, the standard metrics used to evaluate most high schools, such as state assessment results and graduation rates, were not reported for this entity. A parent looking at typical school performance data will find a gap here, and that gap is by design for a program of this type.
The school reported an enrollment of zero students, a figure that likely reflects how enrollment is accounted for in this alternative setting, not an absence of students. Demographic data, including race and ethnicity, counts students by category but reports zero in each, and key information on economic disadvantage, students with disabilities, and English learners was missing. The school’s location is at 3230 Burt Street in central Omaha, within the Omaha Public Schools district boundary.
Omaha is Nebraska’s largest city and a major economic hub, home to four Fortune companies including Berkshire Hathaway and Union Pacific. The city has a defined downtown core with cultural institutions like the Henry Doorly Zoo and the Joslyn Art Museum, and its walkable areas are concentrated downtown and in the Old Market district. Much of the city’s built environment is car-dependent suburban-style development. Population growth has been modest, and the metro area GDP is substantial, supported by a mix of corporate headquarters and firms in banking, engineering, and logistics.
The parent district, Omaha Public Schools, launched a major literacy initiative in 2024 called the Moonshot, with a goal of all students reading on grade level by 2030. This initiative incorporates the Science of Reading and structured literacy, and it is embedded in the district’s strategic plan. Families with children in OPS elementary grades will see a sustained change in reading instruction across all schools.
The Independent Study Program operates without the standard academic performance data that parents commonly rely on to compare schools. This is the nature of the program. Its purpose is to serve students through an alternative pathway, and the absence of test scores and a graduation rate does not mean poor performance, but it does mean a parent cannot evaluate the program using those customary tools. The program type alone tells a family that this is not a mainstream high school experience. For a parent considering this option, talking directly with the program staff to understand the curriculum, the graduation requirements, and the specific population served would be essential to determine whether it fits a student’s needs.
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