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Sarasota News Leader During the board's monthly workshop, Cantees also pointed out that the teen parent program, Cyesis, had seen a 60 percent decrease in student enrollment over the past three years. December 7, 2012 Page 23 Cyesis, Brown said, that opened up "a whole can of worms that won't help them get a job." Brown added, "So I think [the Riverview factor] gets them a much better footing. The value of that diploma is so much more than we can put a price on." This program allows pregnant students and new parents who are still in high school to continue attending When The Saraclasses; childcare sota News Leadfacilities and paer asked whether rental training are any reasons for an integral part of A chart shows the graduation rates for Sarasothe decrease in the the program. Cyeta County public high schools from the 2009-10 35-year-old prosis was established school year through the 2011-12 school year. gram's enrollment in 1978; it became Chart courtesy Sarasota County Schools had been pinpointa part of the Riverview High campus in 2010, after the new high ed, no one could offer an explanation. Administrative staff said they speculated part of the school was constructed. decrease was linked to a greater acceptance Moving the program to Riverview has resulted of pregnant students in all schools, access to in several benefits for the district, staff said, online classes and charter school options. including economic ones by establishing it on a regular high school campus. All pregnant students have the option of remaining at their current schools. Board Member Shirley Brown pointed to another benefit: "I think one of the most import- THE BUDGET ant things you offer [the students] is something that they get after they leave ... And that Once again during their monthly workshop, is when they go off to a job interview … they the School Board members addressed budget can put down they went to Riverview High concerns. School, and people will say, 'Yeah, I underFederal funding decreases, state budget shortstand that.'" ages, a decline in local property tax rates and In the past, with students having to put on a falling student enrollment in the regular applications that they had graduated from public schools continue to exert pressures on