Because housing instability can make it difficult for students to attend school, students experiencing homelessness (SEH) may become chronically absent. For this reason, SEH have lower graduation rates than their housed counterpants. Germany's second-chance schools give students an opportunity to catch up on their learning so they can take final…

The BRIDGE Alternative Middle School in Lowell, Massachusetts, serves students ages 12-16 who have exhibited behavioral problems in traditional school settings, including problems such as truancy, multiple suspensions, mental health issues, peer conflicts, family dysfunction, academic problems, and gang involvement. Students referred to BRIDGE are…

Students with emotional and behavioral disorders have the highest dropout rates of any student group--about 40%. The outcomes for students who drop out of school are dire but are particularly bleak for students with poor academic, interpersonal, and decision-making skills. Helping students earn a high school diploma and gain the skills needed to…

Eagle Rock School and Professional Development Center is a philanthropic project that has received considerable funding and close attention from an American corporation for nearly 20 years. That marks a sharp departure from the typical three-and-out funding scheme that so many foundations take with their enterprises. It will continue to receive…

For a variety of reasons, some students who have the potential to become high achievers may not blossom until high school or beyond. By then it may be too late to take advantage of the educational opportunities afforded to students who have been making straight-As since grade school. They are what the author calls "Crooked-A" students,…

New forms of schooling are emerging, driven by new technology, the recession, and public sector innovation, as well as the commitment to attain standards. Three of these new forms are virtual schooling, hybrid schools, and broker schools. While still fairly rare, these schools could become the norm if the regulatory and funding barriers to their…

It all started when Maude Frumpter, widow of the millionaire shoelace king, visited Summerhill. A skeptical interviewer gets the story from Freedom Hill's director, Dr. Ivan Insight. (Editor)

In the early 1990s a handful of states created independent public charter schools, providing opportunities for teachers and others to develop innovative schooling options. Unlike private schools funded through vouchers or tuition tax credits, these new public schools practice open admissions, accepting all students as space permits. In exchange…

The University of Mid-America brings low-cost education to people in their homes through reliance on self-instruction packages and the mass media. (Author/IRT)

Describes the Open Access Study Plan, which has been developed in response to fundamental inequalities in educational opportunity among educators in the Atlantic Provinces of Canada. (Author/IRT)

A special program at Seton Hall University includes parents of Upward Bound students in university classes. (IRT)

Describes seven alternatives to the traditional offerings in one high school. These programs are designed to counteract student boredom, frustration, anxiety, and related causes of discipline problems. (Author/IRT)

Describes an alternative school program that keeps children in the school system when they have behavioral problems. The district reduced its suspensions from 878 in 1976-77 to three in 1977-78 and 10 in 1978-79. (Author/IRT)

Examines research and survey results, as well as reports of specific cases, to determine the popularity, effectiveness, impact on public schooling, and implications for handicapped, disruptive, and minority students of providing educational choice. Considers the current availability of options, competition from private schools, and constitutional…

The Metropolitan Youth Education Center in Denver (Colorado) offers flexible scheduling, small classes, and a broad range of courses to help high school dropouts earn diplomas. (MLF)