The hallways at the former Pioneer Elementary School are busy again, but the students arriving here are not all following the same schedule, taking the same route, or working toward the same next step. And, that is precisely the point.
Peoria Unified School District has transformed the campus into Peoria Pathways, a new hub for students whose educational needs do not always fit a traditional bell-to-bell school day. Located at 6315 W. Port au Prince Lane in Glendale, it brings Peoria Flex Academy, the S.O.A.R. Center, the WORKS Program, and Peoria eCampus together under one roof.
Now, students can recover credits, complete a diploma, learn virtually, prepare for employment, or build a schedule around responsibilities and opportunities outside the classroom. Each route is different, but all remain part of Peoria Unified.
“Not every student learns best in the same classroom, on the same schedule, or at the same pace,” Peoria Unified Governing Board President Jeff Tobey says. “Peoria Pathways gives students more ways to move forward without changing the expectation that every student deserves a world-class education.”
The idea took shape as Pioneer and Kachina elementary schools closed amid declining enrollment. At the same time, several specialized programs at Peoria High School and Kachina needed room to grow. What could have been viewed only as a closure became an opportunity to rethink how the district serves students. Following a presentation based on the vision of Director Cybil Jacob, the Governing Board chose to bring Peoria Unified’s alternative education programs to Pioneer and give the campus a new name and purpose.
“This was not simply about filling an empty building,” Tobey says. “It was an opportunity to expand what public education can look like. Pioneer had the space, but it also had the right spirit. A campus built to begin educational journeys is now helping students choose the path that works for them.”
The shared location concentrates staff, technology, and student support at one site. It also gives families a clearer place to begin when they know a conventional school model is not working but may not know what other options exist.
“Families should not have to navigate a maze to find the right support,” Peoria Unified Governing Board Clerk Becky Proudfit says. “At Peoria Pathways, they can learn about each option, connect with the right people, and build an educational plan around the student.”
Students and families can find four distinct paths on the campus:
- Peoria Flex Academy: An alternative high school offering flexible schedules, individualized learning plans, self-paced courses, and credit recovery for students working to reengage and graduate.
- S.O.A.R. Center: A dropout-recovery program serving students up to age 21 through teacher mentoring and an adaptable route to a high school diploma. Before officially opening, the program helped two seniors complete graduation requirements during the summer.
- Peoria eCampus: Peoria Unified’s K-12 virtual option, with live online instruction for younger students and self-paced high school coursework taught by district-certified teachers.
- WORKS Program: A transition program helping students with disabilities develop employment, life, and independence skills for adulthood.
The physical campus reflects that flexibility. Homeschool rooms, green outdoor areas, and shared learning spaces give students room to work independently, meet with educators, and connect with one another without making the experience feel institutional.
“There are many reasons a student may need a different setting, and none of them should close the door on that student’s future,” Proudfit says. “Whether a student is recovering credits, balancing school with work, learning virtually, or preparing for employment, Peoria Pathways offers a place to begin again.”
Tobey has seen the benefits of hybrid education firsthand. His high school student followed a hybrid plan that allowed them to graduate early and pursue higher education on their own timetable. That flexibility reflects a broader shift in education since 2020. Families are increasingly seeking virtual courses, career training, internships, homeschooling support, and schedules designed to adapt to students’ lives rather than requiring every student to fit one fixed model.
Peoria Pathways also makes a statement about the value of alternative education. Instead of treating it as a last resort, the district is positioning it alongside career and technical education and advanced academics as a meaningful route to college, the workforce, and adult independence. “Transforming a declining campus into a first-of-its-kind alternative education hub has breathed fresh air into public education,” Tobey says. “Different does not mean less. These programs deserve the same attention and pride as every other academic offering.”
There is room for the campus to keep evolving. District leaders are exploring public-private partnerships, classroom access for homeschool and school-choice families, night and weekend learning for adults, a potential farmers market, and a neighborhood resource hub. Future offerings could attract more students, create additional district revenue, and reconnect the campus with the surrounding Pioneer community. “The sky is the limit because we now have room to build programs that did not exist before,” Proudfit says. “This is how we keep our promise of ‘Every student, every day, prepared to shape tomorrow.’”
Peoria Pathways is located at 6315 W. Port au Prince Lane, Glendale, AZ 85306. Families can explore programs or schedule a tour at peoriaunified.org/pioneer.
