Original Research by School Decision on Mlsd Open Doors Re-engagement Program
MLSD Open Doors Re-Engagement Program is an alternative high school serving grades nine through twelve within the Moses Lake School District. It is a credit-recovery and re-engagement program designed for students who have left school or are at risk of not graduating, and its structure is fundamentally different from a traditional high school.
The program serves a small student body. The vast majority of enrolled students are in twelfth grade, with only a handful in tenth and eleventh grades, suggesting the program primarily functions as a finishing school where students complete remaining credits needed for a diploma. Nearly four out of every five students qualify for free or reduced-price meals, a rate that positions the program well above the district and county averages in economic need. The student body is majority Hispanic, with White students making up the next largest share and Black students and students of two or more races each present in small numbers. Data on students with disabilities and English learners was not reported.
State testing data was not available for this school. Graduation rate data was also not available. For both metrics, the comparison set established for Grant County districts — covering proficiency, four-year graduation, and chronic absenteeism — was inapplicable. This is typical for a re-engagement program of this kind; its students are often not in the standard testing cohort or accountability system because they are completing credits outside a traditional four-year timeline. A parent evaluating the program would need to speak directly with the school about academic outcomes, as the public data sources do not capture them.
The program is situated in Moses Lake, a mixed-use city that has grown well beyond its agricultural roots into a manufacturing and technology hub. Major employers include REC Silicon, Boeing’s test facility, carbon fiber and electric vehicle battery plants, and Big Bend Community College. The city is auto-oriented, sprawling across more than twenty square miles, and bisected by Interstate 90 and State Route 17. The city’s population has grown steadily, driven by industrial recruitment and a wave of recent DOE-funded factory construction. Housing in the area is moderately priced compared to the state but has seen some softening in rents recently; buying a home is notably more cost-effective than renting here, which is the reverse of many Washington markets.
Because this is a school-level entity, there is limited parent-relevant information from the district about it. The Moses Lake School District operates Vanguard Academy, a project-based high school option, and recently completed a new elementary school as part of ongoing facility expansion. Those are separate from this program.
For a family considering this school, the core question is whether their student needs a non-traditional path to a diploma. MLSD Open Doors exists explicitly for that purpose. It is a small, economically disadvantaged, senior-heavy program. A parent should reach out to learn about the school’s graduation rate for its own students, what kind of instruction and support is offered, and whether it is the right fit for the student’s specific circumstances.
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