Father Bruce Wellems didn't know the dropout statistics when he came to Back of the Yards in 1990 to serve as a parish priest. Born and raised in New Mexico, Wellems initially had only vague notions of what an inner-city ministry might look like and little commitment to the neighborhood's struggling youth. But after some prodding from a local park…

With a B.S. in math but no prior math education training, the author's first job as a math teacher was at an alternative charter school with a holistic mission. The author struggled tremendously and no doubt left numerous opponents to math reform in his wake. Fortunately, he attributed his ineffectiveness to his lack of experience and skill as a…

In recent years, there has been a considerable development of administrative skills in study-abroad management, but much less in the educational dimension of this endeavour. The field is burdened by myths and conceptions that exist unchallenged in the uncontested climate of study abroad. An exploration of three of these prevailing myths…

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…

This study explored the trauma histories of individual students in a population of 78 regular education students who were placed in a countywide alternative program in lieu of expulsion. The study also explores the association between the trauma histories and the behavioral, emotional, and academic impairments of these students. Based on an…

This document is one of eight reports prepared to support the development of a new learning system, a development effort that is the first step in a major initiative undertaken by the Stupski Foundation. The Foundation endeavors to improve the life options of all students, especially underserved urban youth of color by fundamentally redesigning…

By examining specific examples of how teachers at an adolescent treatment centre interpret the day to day challenges that shape the lives of their students, insights can be gained about how schools can effectively re-connect even the most difficult students to a school environment. This article describes a story about an adolescent treatment…

Objective: To determine prevalence and correlates of overweight among adolescents attending alternative high schools (AHS). Methods: AHS students (n=145) from 6 schools completed surveys and anthropometric measures. Cross-sectional associations were assessed using mixed model multivariate logistic regression. Results: Among students, 42% were…

This qualitative research study was conducted at one alternative high school to examine why traditional high school dropouts attend alternative schools. Data were gathered over three stages of research during a 2-year period. Sources of data included 105 hours of site observations, student interviews, and the review of site documents. The data…

This directory presents the names and addresses of 2,500 public alternative schools and programs serving secondary school-age children in the United States and three Canadian provinces (Ontario, British Columbia, and Alberta). The addresses are listed alphabetically by state, with the Canadian entries in a separate section at the end. Each school…

This article presents three key aspects of school management that are essential to the establishment of human aims. (RC)

The president of Mount Vernon College (Washington, D.C.) answers a series of questions about the state of private higher education, particularly with regard to colleges that offer two-year programs for women. (NHM)

This article reviews the Leicestershire School, its development under Sir William Brockington and Stewart C. Mason, and the non-competitive atmosphere and non-subject oriented curriculum which characterize the school. Its use in England, and use and misuse in America are discussed. (TK)

Special classes to facilitate the educational integration of the migrant workers' children teach the language of the host country and instruct in the students' languages some of the subjects that they will carry when placed in routine classes. (JH)