Alternative Public Schools

Alternative schools provide options for at-risk students.

As many as 8 percent of students drop out of high school before graduation, according to 2008 U.S. Department of Education statistics. Although this rate is lower than the 1980s, school dropouts are still a priority, especially in areas where there are more at-risk students. To help approach this problem, many public school districts have created alternative schools, which continue to grow in number as success rates climb and dropout rates decline.

About Alternative Schools

Alternative schools are places of learning that provide an alternative option to students, typically of middle school or high school age, to succeed. Alternative schools are typically offered by a school district, which allows students in need from each school within the school district to attend if it is viewed as being the best option for a student to finish her schooling and avoid dropping out.

Types of Students Referred

Any student that is deemed "at-risk" may be able to apply for a transfer to an alternative public school. However, the population of alternative programs typically consists of students who are at a high risk for dropping out of school, such as those with learning disabilities and behavioral issues or those going through a teenage pregnancy.

Benefits

Alternative schools provide many benefits to students in need of additional attention to finish through graduation. Alternative schools provide a more relaxed environment with a lower student-teacher ratio. This allows more flexibility to students who need more time and effort to learn the skills needed for graduation or to take the GED exam. Teachers are also typically trained specifically to deal with issues that put students at risk, whether it be learning disabilities, behavioral problems or trouble at home.

Goals

With more patience and time on the part of educators, students in alternative schools have the opportunity to catch up to their peers in traditional high schools. The goal of many alternative schools is to get at-risk students to a place where they can return back to a traditional high school. If the student is unable to make this transition back, most alternative schools have the ability to provide coursework that will allow the student to graduate with a diploma while remaining in an alternative program or at least can prepare him to take the GED test.

References

• National Center for Education Statistics: Public Alternative Schools and Programs for Students At Risk of Education Failure: 2000--01
• North Carolina Public Schools: Alternative Learning Programs
• Horizon: Alternative High Schools: Models For the Future?; Gay G. Knutson
• National Center for Education Statistics: Fast Facts