An Alternative Intervention:Moving students from Comprehensive High Schools to Alternative High SchoolRussell BoneTimothy CoutoKristen Floreno

Overview

•During the summer of 2011 a hundred and twenty (120) underachieving students attending district A received a letter from their high school informing them that they would no longer be attending the Comprehensive High School

•These students would be mandated to attend the district’s Alternative High School.

Background

•Created and designed by:District SuperintendentTwo Comprehensive High School principalsAlternative High School principalOutside consultant.

Background

•Freshman specific program 60 High School Reform students under the age of 16 were mandated (making 80 total)

Background

•Reasons for assignment (mandate):BehaviorAcademic Attendance issues

Background: Model for success

Mandated High School Reform

Students

Obtain High School Diploma

or GED

Earn High School Credit

Do Not Earn any High School Credit

or Drop Out of Formal Education

Return to Comprehensive High School

Results: Initial

• Initial list of 115 students

• Of those 115 students only 100 of them enrolled in the Alternative High School

• It is unknown if the remaining 15 students changed districts or dropped out

Results: Initial

• Three students came to enroll in the Alternative High School but were sent to GED due to lack of credit.

• One student was sent to the juvenile justice center and could not enroll in the Alternative High School.

• Two students were expelled due to

violation of the student code of conduct.

Results: After one semester

•11 of the 93 intervention students are no longer attending District A’s Alternative High School

•Eight of the eleven students dropped due to attendance issues

•Four of these eight students had also dropped due to attendance in the first term

Results: After one semester

• Two students moved out of the district

•The reason why the eleventh student dropped is unclear from the data

• None of the intervention students have qualified academically to return to their Comprehensive High Schools.

Results: After one semester

Results: Unexpected

•ACT scores increased in Comprehensive High Schools

•Behavior infractions decreased in Comprehensive High Schools

Q and A