Grad My Way

Courtesy of Mercedes Mayer, Aledo ISD director of communications

“We’ve had students and parents ask for more learning opportunities that align with real-world demands and offer more flexibility in scheduling,” Aledo ISD Superintendent Dr. Susan Bohn said in a press release. “Grad My Way is our response - an intentional, student-centered approach that expands options without lowering expectations.” 

Beginning with the 2026-2027 school year, students have the opportunity to personalize their schedules by blending face-to-face instruction, virtual learning (on-campus or anywhere), and an additional off period for qualifying seniors.

“I feel like [Grad My Way] is preparing us for college and how that will work when you can navigate your own time,” said junior student Viviana Previte. 

Since Grad My Way is new for AISD, mostly incoming juniors and seniors can take advantage of the plan. “We’re dipping our toe in the water because we want to make sure it’s excellent,” said Mercedes Mayer, AISD director of communications. “We track how many kids are entering, how they’re doing [and] how successful they are” to ensure the plan is promising. “We’ll see how this [year] goes and continue to refine it.”

Grad My Way has been in the works for more than a year, but “our limitation was that we did not get funded for students who were taking online classes,” said Mayer. However, in May of 2025, Governor Abbott signed into law Texas Senate Bill 569, stating “school systems may now offer virtual and hybrid instruction through a variety of models, including individual courses, programs, or full-time virtual and hybrid campuses. This breadth of options allows districts to align offerings with their instructional goals and operational capacity, whether by starting with targeted courses or implementing comprehensive models such as full-time virtual and hybrid programs and campuses,” according to the Texas Education Agency. 

Now, around 25% of seniors and 18-20% of juniors at AHS are taking advantage of the Grad My Way plan, according to Mayer. 

Junior students Previte, Hudson Hackfeld, and Jazlyn Anaya are utilizing the plan to take dual-credit classes to get a jump start on their college requirements and free up time in their schedules. “I’m really happy that I took these hard classes that will give me credit to get off periods [senior year] to get a job or have dedicated work time,” Previte said.  

Hackfeld encourages classmates to “go for it…It definitely prepares you. Use all the opportunities you can get to get ahead, because it allows you more free time,” he said. “I get to leave early, and I go home and start studying for my college [class].”

“We know that each student’s path to graduation is not one-size-fits-all, so we hope Grad My Way will help our students be successful and maximize their high school experience,” Aledo High School Principal Michael Martinak said in a press release. “Grad My Way represents the beginning of a broader vision for innovation in Aledo ISD.”