This paper discusses alternative schools that serve students with special needs. The evolution of alternative education is outlined and several kinds of alternatives are discussed: schools for the gifted, the vocationally-oriented, and the disruptive, and multiethnic and basic skills programs. Alternative schools for problem students appear to be…

To spur English teachers to change their attitudes and methods in dealing with nonnative English speaking students, this autobiographical account by a Chicana woman describes how English teachers caused her to feel insecurity, frustration, and embarrassment about her use of language. Among the problems the author describes are her suffering at…

"Harvard Education Letter" is published bimonthly at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. This issue of "Harvard Education Letter" contains the following articles: (1) Telling Tales Out of Charter School: What Educators and Policymakers Can Learn from the Successes and Failures of Charters (Robert Rothman); (2) One Charter School's Formula…

The author gives an overview of the main research findings concerning minority retention and graduation. (Contains 1 figure.)

This article profiles the educational system of Manitoba and discusses initiatives for students who are at-risk. It describes programs and services for students who are at-risk, relevant educational legislation, areas of strength, challenges that need to be overcome, and areas of action. (Contains references.) (CR)

This article profiles the educational system of Newfoundland and Labrador and discusses initiatives for students who are at-risk. It describes programs and services for students who are at-risk, relevant educational legislation, areas of strength, challenges that need to be overcome, and areas of action. Agency coordination of services is…

The federal requirements of No Child Left Behind (NCLB) have placed a new focus on increasing graduation rates and reducing dropout rates. While the dropout problem has generated research and new programs over the last 30 years, the dropout rate has remained relatively unchanged. Students drop out of school for many reasons, and the…

Mentoring is a structured one-on-one relationship between an adult and youth that focuses on the needs of the youth, providing him or her with support, guidance, and assistance. This information capsule summarizes research findings on the impact of mentoring on factors such as academic achievement, social behaviors, attitudes, drug and alcohol…

This directory describes programs for serving at-risk students in rural small schools in Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, and Texas. Section 1 lists 72 programs by state, including 8 programs that were added to the directory in 1995. Each entry includes target population; a brief description of program features; the school/community…

The New York State Liberty Partnerships Program (LPP) provides students at risk of dropping out of school with services specifically designed to keep them in school through high school graduation, to encourage them to pursue higher education, and/or to secure meaningful employment. Section 1 describes the LPP school year program, giving brief…

This paper describes a K-12 intervention program for educationally at-risk youth in Jackson County, Tennessee. The LEarning VISIONS (LV) program involves teachers, administrators, parents, business leaders, and higher-education personnel in an effort to integrate a variety of long-term intervention strategies while respecting the rural context and…

This final report discusses the findings of a project that investigated research on the use of educational strategies with students with serious emotional disturbances (SED) for the purpose of communicating to teachers and parents which techniques were effective in serving minority youth with SED. The project reviewed 250 documents to synthesize…

This project, conducted under the Carl D. Perkins Vocational Education Act, Public Law 98-524, developed an inservice training model for secondary guidance staff on implementing vocational assessment techniques into a total guidance and counseling framework. The objective was to design a program for vocationally assessing high school students who…

This report addresses the problem of retaining and graduating college students, particularly black students, in 4-year college programs. Seven key ideas are suggested: (1) colleges granting admission to students who lack adequate preparation should offer appropriate developmental or remedial support to these students; (2) colleges should ensure…

This paper examines current practice for youth at risk of not successfully making the transition to adulthood in six urban secondary schools. It describes the major elements of at-risk policies and programs and raises concerns about the strategies currently in place at the sites. The following strategies are discussed: (1) curriculum and…