Program Overview

“…Our attendance rate with Discovery was 90% or better, and in this day and age, that’s almost unheard of.”

— Harold Clayton Ford, Teacher, Beecher High School, Flint, Michigan

The Discovery Program was written in 1990 by a veteran alternative-high-school educator in Poudre School District in Fort Collins, Colorado. The program was designed to teach social-emotional skills to students who struggle with academics, attendance, and engagement — and to give school staff a shared framework for building a positive, supportive culture. The curriculum includes sophisticated social skills, behavior-management strategies, culture development, and experiential activities.

The objectives of the program are threefold:

1. To develop a strong sense of community and a support system for all students.
2. To teach, practice, and give feedback on specific positive social skills.
3. To reinforce the culture of the classroom/school and ensure that all students realize what is expected of them and what they can expect from the staff.

A concrete, skill-based curriculum

The Discovery Program is a concrete, skill-based curriculum that has the power to create positive change in students. Through Discovery, students learn and master the positive social-emotional skills necessary to be successful in school and in life. It is designed to improve student achievement. The Discovery Program works especially well for students considered at risk, and the program enhances the academic and personal accomplishments of those currently in traditional classes.

Discovery helps school districts solve problems with apathy, violence, academic achievement, and attendance.