The basic goals of most fundamental schools include mastering basic skills; knowing and understanding one's history, heritage, and governmental structure, and reasoning in a logical and objective manner; challenging each child to do his best; ensuring accountability; and reinforcing parental teaching of citizenship, respect, discipline, and…

The first in a series of articles on alternative public schools, this article discusses the alternatives available in the Mamaroneck, New York, elementary schools. (IRT)

A student recommended for expulsion may, under certain circumstances, enter into a period of probation instead. (IRT)

The histories of two alternative programs are compared. Considered a main factor in one program's success is a high level of administrative support; among problems causing the demise of the other are failure to involve the developing committee in the program's implementation and changing the program's emphasis and the students targeted. (MJL)

Four years ago, to address disengaged students in Franklin, Tennessee, Williamson County School District turned to an alternative program called the middle-college high school. This concept allows high school students to complete their coursework on a college campus. More than 30 middle-college high schools serve disengaged students nationwide.…

Discusses three ways of teaching values--fundamental indoctrination, values clarification, and an approach based on Kohlberg's six stages of morality--and warns of potential parental reaction to the methods. (IRT)

Discusses the New Orleans Center of Science & Mathematics, an alternative high school with an activity-based curriculum specializing exclusively in mathematics and science courses for inner-city students. (PKP)

In 1999, the De Kalb (Georgia) Truancy School was created, with cooperation from the county board of education, the superintendent, and the county juvenile court. The school gives chronically truant students an educational setting focused on their individual circumstances and needs. Average daily attendance for 51 students is 97 percent. (MLH)

Project Alternative Rooms, a program developed in the Kansas City (Missouri) schools, provides basic skills instruction to Chapter 1 students using a team-teaching approach with the students and the teachers in alternative classrooms. (MD)

A Pennsylvania countywide, centralized alternative school called CLASS--Creative Learning Alternatives for Student Success--encourages students to stay in school, master the basic skills, and develop the cooperative attitudes needed for success. Eight districts now participate and enrollment has grown to 73 students in grades 7 through 12. (MLF)

The Educational Service Staff Development association of Central Kansas forms partnerships with area school districts to operate adult learning centers which assist adults who want to obtain a high school diploma. Observations and interviews with students and teachers present a success story about a program that helped reshape lives. (MLF)

Less than 5 percent of charter schools have been shut down nationwide. Charter school advocates say closings prove that accountability measures already present in law and in practice are working. Critics counter that closings often reveal that more oversight is needed. Discusses fiscal mismanagement and the need for training. Summarizes…

Discusses chronically delinquent students and methods of dealing with their disruptive behavior, ways to maintain discipline in schools, warning signs characteristic of delinquents, signs of disruption-prone schools, and various programs instigated by state and local school administrations to handle problems from academic failure to criminal…