This paper describes a proposed alternative public high school, the Metropolitan Corporate Academy, a joint project of private and public institutions including the New York City Public Schools and designed to serve at-risk students. An overview notes the high New York City dropout rate and the fragmented nature of most of the programs offered in…

Many at-risk student intervention programs are not affordable for small rural schools. The Cooperative Alternative Program (CAP), a cooperative dropout prevention program administered by six western Texas rural school districts, is described in this report. The program is designed to meet graduation requirements, teach vocational skills, provide…

This report discusses the improvement initiatives in Boston (Massachusetts) middle schools triggered by the work of the Boston Compact to promote education-business collaborations to improve the public schools and provide better job and college-going opportunities for Boston students. Section 1 describes a study that was initiated to learn whether…

This manual is designed to assist school personnel in their efforts to increase the number of women and nontraditional students who are recruited into and retained in nontraditional occupational preparation programs. Discussed first are the nature and scope of the problem of retaining disadvantaged students in nontraditional vocational programs,…

The Peninsula Academies program operates two schools within schools, the electronics academy and the computer academy, in a three-year high school program for disadvantaged students labeled as potential dropouts in San Mateo County, California. A review of the performance of the Peninsula Academies program during its second year of operation…

An alternative high school is proposed to meet the needs of the substantial number of Yuma students who are dropping out of school at increasing rates. In the period from 1974 to 1978 enrollment at Yuma's 2 high schools increased by only 8% while the drop-out rate increased by 56%. Enrollment figures show that the drop-out rate is highest in grade…

The Cushing (Oklahoma) Public Schools have had an annual dropout rate of 3.3% in recent years (40 students in 1995-96), but their goal is to decrease the number of dropouts by at least 50%. The school district has had several alternative programs for dropout reduction in place. Needs assessment has shown that all of Cushing's dropouts were in high…

Examines collaboration between schools and nonprofit community-based organizations and its impact on dropout prevention programing and staff-student relations. The study is part of a 3-year longitudinal evaluation of the New York City Attendance Improvement Dropout Prevention program at 6 of 29 city middle schools implementing the collaboration.…

A national study of 14 alternative secondary schools (urban, rural, and suburban) enrolling students at risk of dropping out suggests that effective schools provide at-risk students with a community of support and can prevent students from dropping out. Eight policy recommendations comprise a youth policy agenda for states and communities. (SLD)

A study was done of the efficacy of Project Reach, an alternative school program for seriously at-risk students attending the Socorro High School in the Socorro Independent School District (Texas). Program participants were those who had reached the pre-expulsion stage prior to admission. The program goals were to prevent dropouts or expulsions…

This paper evaluates STRIVE, an alternative program designed to provide a nurturing, caring, and intensive academic environment for over-age, low-performing ninth grade students attending the Barbara Jordan High School for Careers in Houston (Texas). STRIVE operates in isolation from the regular student population and has a counselor and four…

This report discusses the following current issues and trends in American Indian, Mexican American, migrant, outdoor, rural, and small school education: (1) motivating American Indian students to higher achievement in mathematics and science; (2) creating culturally relevant parent education/skills development programs and materials for American…

Both time and circumstance have convinced many a school district that it must find a better way to educate its students. For many districts the way has been alternative schools and programs that offer students a choice of goals, structures, and approaches to curriculum. One report estimated that as many as 5,000 alternative schools would be in…

The Portable Assisted Study Sequence (P.A.S.S.) Program, a pilot high school program designed to support California migrant student graduation through the use of competency based credits and portable learning packets, more than met its goals and objectives in 1978-79. Evaluation was by questionnaire, to which 16% of the surveyed P.A.S.S. students…

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…