STRIVE works to prove charter schools can sustain high test scores while serving students with special needs

When Josue Bonilla started at STRIVE Prep Federal in fall 2015, he spent a lot of time trying to earn happy-face stickers and string cheese — the rewards for sticking to his behavior plan.
At times, they seemed hopelessly out of reach. One day, Josue was caught playing with a lighter in the bathroom. Another day, he hit a teacher’s aide in the face.
By the end of this school year, the 13-year-old, who suffers from seizure disorders and developmental delays, was spending 90 percent of