alternative education

Students with academic or behavioral problems in the comprehensive high school environment frequently enroll in alternative education schools.  The San Mateo County Office of Education administers two types of alternative schools: Community Schools, which are generally short‐term, voluntary placements for students in need of a smaller, more individualized learning environment, and Court Schools, including a school at juvenile hall and two minimum security camp facilities for students referred by the San Mateo County Probation Department. In this analysis, the Gardner Center examined the tra

California’s approximately 500 continuation high schools are estimated to serve more than 115,000 students each year—a number that approaches almost 10% of all high school students and as many as one of every seven high school seniors. Based on their statewide study, the authors conclude that, as a whole, these schools are failing to provide the academic and critical support services that students need to succeed.

This issue brief is part of a larger study of California Continuation High Schools begun in 2007. During this phase of the study, researchers conducted in-depth site visits and data analysis at 22 continuation high school programs in three California counties from November 2009 to October 2009, interviewing students, teachers, counselors, and administrators. San Jose’s PLUS program stands out among California’s continuation high schools in its design and operation as part of a district menu of alternatives, and in its ‘school-within-a-school’ design.

This study draws on survey results and state administrative data reviewed by staff at WestEd and detailed in a supporting technical report (Austin & Dixon, et al., 2008), and on technical reports (McLaughlin, Atukpawu & Williamson, 2008; Ruiz de Velasco, 2008; and Perez & Johnson, 2008) that detail results from field research undertaken during the winter and spring of 2007 in nine California counties.