The data are in: How students fare in alternative school settings
A critical step in improving outcomes for students attending alternative schools is the development of a set of accurate and actionable data.
That’s why, after California enacted the Dashboard Alternative School Status (DASS) program, the Gardner Center has sought to fill in data gaps with demographic and school performance reports. These initial reports, released in early 2024, represent the first comprehensive data about alternative schools in over a decade.
The challenge
The alternative school system in California enrolls large numbers of students each year, but data about the student population and success rates have been slim.
Without this kind of information, it’s impossible for the state to know how many students are being served by alternative schools — since they cycle in and out throughout the academic year — not to mention if they are better off as a result of their time there.
The solution
The Gardner Center, with its rigorous research capabilities, stepped in to use the new DASS standards to develop enrollment and demographic reports about the student population in alternative schools, as well as a detailed picture of where students go after they leave that setting.
The reports paint a picture of a system — largely hidden from view — that is doing a really good job in supporting tens of thousands of students who might otherwise fade away from traditional high schools without completing their degree.
This information will help the California Department of Education and other stakeholders better understand the scale and scope of the system as well as prioritize and design a long-term policy and learning agenda.
Key takeaways
The Gardner Center has released the first comprehensive data about alternative schools in over a decade. The data show:
Over 11 percent, or about 170,000, of all youth in public school grades 10–12 attend alternative schools.
Positive transition rates (e.g., returning to traditional high school, completing degree, etc.) are relatively high and steady — approximately 82% for students across the seven years examined.
Continuation High Schools have the highest positive transition rate at 89% versus other alternative school formats.
Photo: San Andreas Continuation High School
