SENTINEL BUTTE, ND — Home on the Range, a therapeutic working ranch aiding traumatized youth, has received a $300,000 grant from Dunn County Commissioners; The funding will support the establishment of the Badlands Learning Center, an on-site school aimed at enhancing the facility's educational offerings.
Badlands Learning Center, Home on the Range's non-public school, will offer residents tailored courses and opportunities to recover credits. If residents transfer out of the facility, they can request their transcripts and complete any unfinished courses.
The school model, set to launch on June 1, will provide on-site education for its residents, with Home on the Range partnering with the Center of Distance Education and Department of Public Instruction to offer online classes supported by on-site special education teachers and learning coaches.
Laura Feldmann, Executive Director of Home on the Range, attended a Dunn County Commissioners meeting to present the organization's work and its impact on local youth, specifically highlighting the commercial sexual exploitation of Children (CSEC). Feldmann shared, "So I went up and talked about Home on the Range and about our programming. I talked about our CSEC population." A slide deck from the presentation included 44 children from Dunn County and nearby areas served by their programs.
Feldmann stated that this data point underscored the local relevance of their mission and the urgent need for support, prompting the commissioners to consider how they could assist in addressing the issue.
ADVERTISEMENT
The transition to this school model addresses the challenges introduced by the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2019, especially the shortened four-month stay of children, which affects their therapeutic and academic progress.
Feldman cited statistics showing that only 38 percent of their youths, all enrolled through Beach Public Schools, earned any credit during the 2022-2023 school year" "So we ran the numbers for the first semester of this school year, and we came up with 44 percent of the kids were able to accrue any credit"," Feldmann stated, concerned about the limited time the organization has to make therapeutic and academic gains with the children.
Feldmann emphasized the importance of academic achievement as a predictor of future success and expressed a belief in the need for change" "We believe strongly that we need to do something different," she said. This need stems from a longstanding partnership with Beach High School, dating back to the establishment of Home on the Range in 1950, which has brought shared successes and challenges.
Recognizing the impact on Beach Public Schools, with which Home on the Range has partnered, Feldmann emphasized the focus on children's welfare and educational needs.
Badlands Learning Center is seeking to hire four to six learning coaches and is looking to do so internally and externally. She explained that if they promote internal staff to these new roles, they will need to fill the resulting vacancies.
Feldmann expressed eagerness to show Grant County or Dunn County the results of their investments, stating, "It gives us an opportunity to do what's best for the kids, and I so appreciate the faith that they have in our ability to do that. And I can't wait to, to report back to them and let them know how it's going. Badlands Learning Center is coming, and it's going be great for our kids."
The Trust Project
