Arguments for an education voucher proposal are presented with particular application to California, which is experiencing a rapid shift from public to private schools. (JMF)

If libraries are to survive the apparently inevitable lean years ahead, they must make themselves necessary by offering informational and educational services in demand. However, alternative and nontraditional services must be provided on a cost-recovery basis, and only those directly benefiting from the service should pay the additional fee.…

Discusses a successful pilot project developed by a staff member of the Institute of Continuing Education, Londonderry, Northern Ireland, to help combat the failure of adult education to reach the working class women in the city. A part-time tutor-organizer was employed to create study/action groups offering an alternative educational experience…

The question of whether alternative schools and educational programs serve to "deschool" society, as sometimes claimed, is considered throught examination of what criteria define an organization as a school. (RW)

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)

Reviews, from the perspective of a school counselor, basic tenets of two contemporary educational trends, optional alternative education and deliberate psychological education. Describes blending of these trends at ALPHA (Alternative Learning Program for the High School Age), a public alternative high school located in Livonia, Michigan.…

The concept of an open university, with courses available to those unable to go to college, is being developed in mid-America, with a planned curriculum using texts, study guides, audio cassettes, and television. (JD)

Some work has been done with identifying the components of and constructing a taxonomy for alternative schooling, but the movement itself has dealt primarily with means, rather than goals--and thus falls short of being truly "alternative." (MB)

Examines some criticisms of the back-to-basics movement and of fundamental schools. (IRT)

A brief biographical account of the life of Elizabeth Byrne Ferm and her work in the Modern School Movement describes her early life; her educational training based on Froebel's ideas; and her development of "free" kindergartens, particularly at the Modern School at Stelton, New Jersey. (SAS)

The Program on Noncollegiate Sponsored Instruction and the American Council on Education College Credit Recommendation Service are national methods of evaluating programs and granting credit for learning acquired through noncollegiate organizations. (SK)

Profiles three Swedish tuition-free, independent public schools. Independent schools were formed after the Swedish government enacted school choice legislation in 1992 resulting in the replacement of private schools with a system of tuition-free, self-managed public schools. These schools (now over 800) provide parents with alternatives to…

Self-report drug use data were collected from 282 female alternative school students. Logistic regression analyses indicated that sexual abuse history was significantly associated with lifetime use. While the relationships tested in this study are exploratory, they provide evidence for an important connection between sexual abuse and substance use…

The Reality Rub is one of six Life Space Crisis Interventions. The goal is to help students reorganize and clarify distorted perceptions of an emotionally intense event. As seen in this article, teaching positive behavior begins by helping young people correct their blurred and biased views of reality. (Author)