EUGENE, Ore. -- U.S. Sen. Ron Wyden spoke Tuesday with the students, teachers and families about his work to provide more funding and resources to alternative schools.

Wyden talked about rewriting the "Every Student Succeeds Act" that focuses on raising graduation rates in Oregon and across the country. He visited Kalapuya High School, an alternative school in the Bethel School District in Eugene.

"It was really nice that he came because it just shows us the people in the state do care about our schools, and that there are people rooting for our alternative schools," said student Delaney Aguirre. "There's I think 150 students here at the most and it's cool that people are acknowledging us."

"It's really inspirational," said student Galen Hartzell. "We're just here learning and then, it's really nice that he would come and support that, and have us extend on our education a little bit."

Kalapuya High School is an alternative school with a diverse population of at-risk students, providing an education that is different from a traditional high school.