Purpose: The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore educators' perceptions of the effectiveness of the PBIS framework in changing student behavior outcomes in a continuation high school setting. Theoretical Framework: Behaviorism is one of the main theories that encapsulates the PBIS framework. However, born out of behaviorism is…

Prior research on student voice shows that when adults genuinely listen to and value student input, students are more likely to feel they belong and can learn in their educational setting. Given this, the purpose of this research study was to evaluate if previously disenfranchised students would develop a greater sense of agency, academic identity…

This three-phase, two-method qualitative study explored and identified policies, programs, and practices that school-site administrators perceived as most effective in reengaging at-risk students emotionally, behaviorally, and cognitively at 10 California Model Continuation High Schools (MCHS). Eccles' expectancy-value theoretical framework was…

This issue brief is part of a larger study of California continuation high schools begun in 2007. While the first phase of the study examined various alternative education options throughout the state, this second phase focused on 23 higher performing continuation high schools in California selected based on multiple student outcome measures. This…

The General Educational Development (GED[R]) Tests, established in 1945, helped determine soldiers' high school qualifications for the workforce, as they returned home from WWII. Because many soldiers dropped out of school to join the military, achieving a certain score on the test was a way for them to demonstrate that they had attained high…

More than 10% of California's public high school students attend some kind of alternative program. This brief summarizes the initial research study from the California Alternative Education Research Project, which examines continuation schools specifically. It summarizes "Alternative Education Options: A Descriptive Study of California…

Although students from California high schools are sent to continuation schools primarily because of attendance and behavior problems, assessment measures suggest the presence of a number of unidentified learning-disabled students in those schools. (Author)

We study a set of programs implemented in Philadelphia high schools that focus on boosting high school graduation, and especially college attendance, using data from the Philadelphia Educational Longitudinal Study (PELS). We examine the effects of these programs on a set of schooling-related outcomes during and after high school. The PELS data-set…

Continuation schools were developed to enable students to continue earning a high school diploma while they worked, often full time, to support themselves and their families. Traditionally, continuation schools were home to poor teachers, narrowed curriculum and an unwelcoming culture. Intuitively, students attending today's continuation schools…

Concludes that students who had previously experienced failure in traditional school settings and had poor attitudes toward school could make significant academic achievement in an alternative school program and could develop more positive feelings about school. (Author/RL)

Over a four year period, the Continuation Education System Development Project will develop a practical instructional system capable of continuous identification and efficient response to the most critical needs of individual continuation students or those who have been pushed out of, or have dropped out of high school; in La Puente, California.…

The popular view that the performance of the older returning student is superior to that of the younger continuing student is confirmed. These higher grades are attributed to greater ability and to more time devoted to studying for each course. Other factors examined include marital status and gender. (RM)

The ability of measures of perceived competence, control, and autonomy support to predict self-worth and academic performance was studied across groups of high school students. Stepwise regression analyses indicate these variables in model predict self-worth and grade point average. In addition, levels of school status and depression predict…

The Career Intern Program is an alternative school for dropouts and potential dropouts, which enables these students to complete high school, improve their basic skills, and acquire occupational knowledge. This report briefly describes the program and its students, presents 1975 evaluation results, and lists critical features necessary for…

The options selected by secondary school graduates with varying academic backgrounds, the intellective characteristics of these students, and their completion/noncompletion records were investigated. A comparison was made of 229 male vocational training (VT) graduates and 200 male college preparatory (CP) graduates with respect to demographic…