A Common Thread Site Visits to Alternative Schools Across the Nation

1
A Common Thread? Site Visits to Alternative
Schools Across the Nation

• Cammy Lehr, Ph.D.
• Alternative Schools Research Project
• University of Minnesota
• MAAP Conference
• February, 2005

2
Alternative Schools Research Project (2001-2005)

• 1. Examination of alternative schools nationwide
• Interviews with state directors of special
  education
• National survey of states
• Review of state legislation
• 2. In-depth state level case studies (n7 states)
• 3. Site visits to alternative schools in 6 states
  (n 22 schools)
• 4. Synthesis of information across studies

3
Now all we have to do is write it up
4
National Context

• Numbers incredible growth in recent years
• Ages primarily high school age, increasingly
  younger
• Risk Factors students with disruptive behavior,
  history of poor attendance, suspended or
  expelled, learning difficulties, external
  stressors, social or emotional problems, referral
  from court system
• Students with Disabilities 12 average, range
  of 3 to 20, (Kleiner, Porch Farris, 2002)
• National Survey - Eighteen respondents indicated
  state level data was collected

5
Describing Alternative Schools

• Raywid (1994)
• Type I
• Type II
• Type III
• Evidence of increased variability across states
• Three Scenarios

6
Sometimes it gets confusing
7
Studying Alternative Schools Using an Extended
Framework

• Key Dimensions
• Function/Mission
• Intended Outcomes
• Enrollment
• Curriculum Focus
• Duration
• Target Population
• Governance

8
Function/Mission

• Provide an alternative education option
• Provide a disciplinary consequence
• Dropout prevention, keep kids in school (e.g.,
  for teen parents, students behind in credits,
  suspended)
• Therapeutic or counseling orientation
• Combination/Overlap

9
Intended Outcomes

• Successful learning experience
• Re-enrollment in traditional school
• Skill building academic
• Skill building behavioral
• Skill building social emotional
• Graduation
• Behavior change as result of punitive consequence

10
Enrollment

• Voluntary
• Voluntary with parameters
• Involuntary
• May exist in combination within a state

11
Curriculum Focus

• Alternative curriculum (thematic, experiential)
• State/district/school curriculum
• Work-based
• Problem-solving, social-emotional, conflict
  resolution
• Mystery curriculum
• Many overlap, more often by school than by
  state

12
Duration

• Long term (gt 1 year)
• Short term (gt 60 days)
• Middle (6 months to 1 year)

13
Population Served/Targeted

• Not at-risk or at-risk students
• Students who have been suspended or expelled
• Chronically disruptive students
• Students at-risk of school failure or dropout

14
Governance/Structure

• Local Education District
• Combination of school districts
• Contract with private provider
• Community based organization

15
Critical Issues Tied to Variability Across States

• Complexity of determining effectiveness (due to
  differences in intended outcomes, curriculum
  focus, targeted population)
• Which programs effect positive outcomes for
  students?
• How is effectiveness or successful programs
  defined?
• What indicators should be used to measure
  effectiveness?
• What is the purpose of alternative schools?
• What are the implications for serving students
  with disabilities?

16
What Do Students Have To Say?

• Site visits to 22 schools in 6 states.
• States selected to reflect diversity across
  dimensions
• Schools randomly selected with parameters
• Surveyed students with and without disabilities
• Criteria for analyzing findings Utilized
  findings from schools where
• gt 50 of students enrolled completed the survey
• 4 states
• 9 schools
• Climate Survey (28 items)

17
Student Survey Demographics (n280 students)

• Age Mean 17 (range 14-20)
• 23 had dropped out of school
• Number of schools in past 2 years X 1.5 (range
  0 7)
• Ever received special education services Yes
  26
• Ethnicity White 72
• Black 17
• Other 11
• Gender Male 56, Female 43

18
Why Did You Stop Going to the Last School You
Attended?

• All SWD SWOD
• (n280) (n73) (n207)
• I was not doing well in my classes 48 58 45
• Attendance problems 31 36 29
• I was suspended or expelled 29 32 28
• I didnt like many of my teachers 29 32 28
• I didnt like many of the other
  students 29 26 29
• Other reasons 26 18 29
• Staff at the my old school referred me
  23 36 18
• I was sent to a correctional facility 10 18
  8

19
School Climate Overall Survey Findings( Agree
or Strongly Agree)

• Teacher-Student Relationships
• Teachers in this school like their
  students 82
• Teachers are willing to help students with their
  problems 89
• Most teachers care about the students who go
  here 82
• Students respect the teachers at this
  school 52
• Safety
• This school is a safe place for students and
  teachers 83
• Students in this school fight a lot 8
• Students feel safe at this school 72
• Facilities
• This school is usually neat and clean 79
• This school building has a pleasant
  appearance 71
• There are often broken windows or things that
  need repair 11

20
School Climate Overall Survey Findings( Agree
or Strongly Agree)

• Expectations
• In this school, I am made to feel that I can
  learn 81
• I am not encouraged to work hard at this
  school 17
• In this school, teachers motivate me to do my
  best 83
• Academic Orientation
• Students at this school seem to want to
  learn 50
• Teachers work hard to get the students to do
  well 80
• Teachers are patient when a student has trouble
  learning 77
• Teachers hurry through lessons and do not
  clearly explain 10
• Student-Student Relationships
• Students care about each other at this
  school 36
• Students in this school respect one another 52
• Students usually try to get along with each
  other 69

21
School Climate Overall Survey Findings( Agree
or Strongly Agree)

• Behavior
• Students at this school are often given
  suspension 28
• The rules at this school are clear and fair 73
• Student behavior at this school is usually
  good 64
• Teachers are fair to everyone at this
  school 65
• Welcoming Environment
• Students have a sense of belonging in this
  school 66
• My parents do not feel welcome at this school
  7
• My teachers do not like my parents to come to
  school 4
• I like to come to this school 71

22
Interviews Students with Disabilities Attending
Alternative Schools

• Students with Disabilities (n30)
• Interview Topics
• History and Background
• Positives
• Staff
• Classes and Instruction
• Negatives
• Future
• Special Education Services

23
Interviews Students with Disabilities Attending
Alternative Schools

• Who are these kids? What are their stories?
• Positives
• Teachers good, nice, funny, good attitudes
• Smaller Setting, Individual Attention fewer
  students, know the teachers better, fewer
  distractions, more one on one
• Flexibility work at own pace, more relaxed
  atmosphere, schedule, can wear hats, listen to
  radio
• Welcoming people are pretty friendly, easier to
  make friends, everyone gets along, not as many
  cliques

24
Interviews Students with Disabilities Attending
Alternative Schools

• Staff
• Positive Relationships you get to know the
  teachers better, get along better with kids,
  teachers with character, now I go to a school
  with teachers that I get along with
• Supportive teachers help you more here, they
  are more understanding, teachers want you to
  succeed, teachers want you to be here
• Communication teachers are more open, will talk
  with you about anything

25
Interviews Students with Disabilities Attending
Alternative Schools

• Academics and Behavior
• Non-traditional Classes parenting class and
  provide child care fresh force (a mentoring
  program where students work with younger
  students) class on healthy relationships (learn
  how to communicate, interact and argue with
  others) wellness class, keys to inner vision
• Handling Misbehavior instead of rules they have
  guidelines teachers take students aside to talk
  with them here they try to cool you down have
  community service instead of suspension kids
  sign a contract when they enroll
• Instructional Delivery smaller number of
  students in class over here they take time to
  teach you you can work individually have
  packets most work is important, relevant to you,
  but you still have to do some stuff that isnt

26
Interviews Students with Disabilities Attending
Alternative Schools

• Negatives
• Facilities need a chalkboard, need more
  computers, no gym, lunch is brought over from the
  other school
• Peer Relationships why put all the bad kids
  together? what a dumb idea? who thought of that?
  kids who have been in lock-up shouldnt be here,
  school is getting lots bigger have to watch who
  they are bringing in, had some problems with
  other kids
• Future
• Reflect Hope and Plans attend a four year
  college, go to a tech school, a dental hygienist,
  take the air force test, want to be a chef or
  photographer, become a game warden, massage
  therapist, doctor, etc.
• Special Education

27
Summary and Implications

• Variability across states and within states.
• Need to examine program effectiveness/student
  outcomes using dimensions.
• How best do we serve students at risk of school
  failure?
• In general, students have positive perceptions of
  climate in alternative school settings. Students
  note importance of welcoming environment, caring
  relationships, support, communication, offering
  non-traditional classes, positive behavior
  supports and approaches, flexibility,
  expectations.
• Legislation reflects more of an emphasis on using
  alternative schools as disciplinary settings for
  students who are chronically disruptive.

28
Alternative Schools Research Project
http//ici.umn.edu/alternativeschools/There is
plenty more to do