The purpose of this qualitative ethnographic study was to hear the voices of students in a local district alternative education placement (DAEP) school and to use their impressions to increase student success in that program. I also provided background information and examined the setting, circumstances, and culture in which the participants were involved. I collected data that consisted of teacher reflection journals, student and teacher observations, student focus groups, as well as small group and individual interviews with 6 students in the program. The findings showed that students perceived the classroom as a challenging place to learn. Students discussed their choices and the outcomes of their behaviors that caused them to be placed in the DAEP program and their impressions of their teachers' interactions with them. The study added to the research by providing a triangulation of three components - student voices, staff member observation, and teacher-researcher interactions - of the daily lives of DAEP students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]