Category Archives: At risk programs

New Schools: KIPP and Cristo Rey

Online School Enrolls Huge Numbers with New Approach

Astonishing Variety of Options in California

Choices for “At-Risk” Students

Options for At-risk Youth

Street Schools

State Alternative Conferences

Conference on At-Risk Students

Contracted Alternative Programs

Another type of alternative school is those which contract with a school district to serve a particular population of students. For example, the Metropolitan Federation of Alternative Schools in the Minneapolis-St. Paul metro area, consists of 22 schools run by community non-profits. Each contracts to serve particular populations of “at-risk” students. The students remain on [...]

New Study on At-Risk Alternatives

The Urban Institute has published a comprehensive, thoughtful study, Educational Alternatives for Vulnerable Youth: Student Needs, Program Types, and Research Directions by Laudan Y. Aron, Janine M. Zweig. The study touches on general alternatives but the major focus is on programs for at-risk youth and the enormous expansion in recent years. This is a useful [...]

Alternatives for At-Risk Students

Many existing alternative schools serve at-risk students. IALA believes in alternatives for all students and that there should be many types of alternatives and choices for all students. Still, the perception remains for many educators that alternatives are for unsuccessful students. That view is thoughtfully explored in a paper, “Alternative Learning Environments” by the Southwest [...]

Residential Academies

Ray Morley, IALA board member and prolific contributor to educational alternatives for many years has described a rapidly growing phenomenia, that of residential academies. For a quick look at this concept see his paper, “Residential Education: A Topic for Consideration in Alternative Education.” He also describes the Coalition for Residential Education.

Book Report

Saving Our Students, Saving Our Schools: 50 Proven Strategies for Revitalizing At-Risk Students and Low-Performing Schools Robert Barr and William Parrett developed this 500 page comprehensive guide to school improvement. Chapter 8, for example, “Create Caring Classrooms, Schools and Communities of Support” suggest four key strategies, action steps, references, and a reflection page. (2003, Pearson, [...]

Risk of Dropping Out of School

Jack Frymier and others constructed a table showing the family, personal, and academic risk factors that have a high correlation with dropping out of school. You can view this excellent but brief chart.

National Conference on Alternatives

Tenth Joint National Conference on Alternatives to Expulsion, Suspension, and Dropping Out of School will be held January 15-17, 2004 in the Orlando area. People considering presentations may complete a form. The conference is co-sponsored by the National Alternative Education Association headquarted at George Washington University.