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A Closer Look at Alternative Schools
By Ted Becker
Ted Becker is a school counselor at Winchester Alternate High School.
The Winchester Alternate High School has been a hot topic lately. Information and misinformation have filled the air like flies in a cow pasture. With this in mind, I would like to take the opportunity to provide some basic, factual and interesting information regarding alternative schools.
School systems across the country are faced with more and more challenges in the process of educating our children. Traditional school settings are required to complete a preset curriculum and increase test scores while many students are struggling with personal, family, societal, social, and behavioral issues. Look in almost any newspaper and you will see a variety of articles describing a range of educational issues concerning low test scores, increasing drop-out rates, high truancy, violence, teen pregnancy, illegal drugs, isolation, and on and on. It's no wonder that we are encountering lower academic achievement, increased student failure and violent school tragedies across the country.
Society pays a very high price when children fail in school. School failure is directly linked to substantially lower lifetime earnings and higher unemployment rates. Research has confirmed that youth who are not in school and not in the labor force are at high risk of delinquency and crime. Statistics point out that more than 80% of prison inmates are high school drop-outs. Collateral studies show that teen parents who have at least two children are likely to remain on welfare for more than a decade. Students who fail in school have higher divorce rates, a greater risk of spousal abuse, and raise children who are likely to be unprepared for school. Problems, problems and more problems … How can we begin to address the economic, social, emotional and educational concerns of today?
A growing body of research reports that many school districts are now realizing the value of small alternative schools. Students who have failed in traditional settings are now benefiting from an estimated 15,000 alternative schools scattered in communities across the United States. Studies consistently demonstrate that successful alternative school programs are proving highly effective in reducing drop-out rates, reducing truancy, developing personal and social skills, and re-engaging students in learning.
An extensive data analysis search on successful alternative school practices has disclosed a number of common characteristics. While there is no set formula, successful alternative schools share the following key elements:
• Alternative school students do not fit any one profile with the exception that they have not been successful in traditional schools. Alternative school enrollments include students from diverse backgrounds and ability levels. Let us dispel the myth that all alternative school students are troubled, court-appointed or special education. Alternative schools are not restrictive of student rights but are district schools that provide options to better meet the needs of any student. Alternative populations are typically comprised of special education, regular education, and 504 students. Some students are simply behind in credits or grade levels while others have painfully slipped through the cracks.
Criteria for student selection can also be based on specific circumstances such as pregnancy, teen parenting, drop-ins, violence and social issues, behavior, repeated failure, and dozens of other individual reasons. Goals for alternative school students are individualized and may include anything from returning to traditional school settings, to part-time work while attending school part-time, to graduation and job placement directly from an alternative school setting, or any combination of such. With their newfound success, an increasing number of graduating alternative school students are attending college.
• Program size is a critical feature and instrumental in building student success. Smaller numbers allow staff and students to develop close connections, practice small group and individualized instruction, and receive meaningful support, all in a non-threatening environment. Staff become very familiar with both students and their families and work together to prevent or resolve problems, as well as celebrate achievements. Students often comment on the sense of community (some call it family) that resonates throughout the school.
• Each and every alternative school student develops and follows an individualized plan for academics, life skills, and career readiness. Students who arrive lacking or behind in basic skills are often surprised how quickly the deficits can be made up in a setting that provides targeted instruction at an individualized pace. Unlike large traditional schools that must operate from the "middle of the road," alternative schools are flexible, with curriculum and program offerings designed to meet each student's needs.
• An alternative school climate is caring, supportive, and accepting. Student participation in a "safe environment" is a major factor in re-igniting the flame of learning, building confidence and ultimately developing self-direction, accountability and responsibility. Student participation can be seen at many levels throughout the program, ranging from peer counseling to multi-level class discussions, from making democratic school-wide decisions to the planning of life goals. When students begin to realize that they "belong" and have value, grades improve, discipline issues diminish, and students who have failed in the past start to feel good about themselves. Alternative school students feel connected to something very positive, many for the first time in their lives. Pride and respect for self, others, and the school flourish as a byproduct of the total experience.
Are alternate schools effective? I can speak based on my tenure at the Winchester Alternate High School. As a school counselor, I have had the pleasure to experience tremendous turnarounds in many, many students. I have seen kids who were given "no chance" graduate and move on to solid jobs or college. I have seen kids who have spent too many school days literally with coloring books and crayons become readers. I have seen lonely kids on the verge of suicide become confident students with a promising future. I view our program not as a second chance for students, but as a last chance for many students.
Alternative schools do not claim to have all the answers for today's challenges. However, successful alternative schools not only boost achievement and graduate students, they also send students into the world better prepared for employment, parenthood, community participation, and further education. In doing so alternative schools serve both the student and the community.
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