Flexible learning options (FLOs) provide individualised learning pathways for disengaged young people with strong emphasis on inclusivity and wellbeing support. Amidst a rapid expansion of Australia's flexible learning sector, service providers are under increasing pressure to substantiate participant outcomes. This paper stems from a national…

Although computer-assisted instruction is increasingly common in the alternative school setting, little research has been conducted regarding its relationship to emancipatory education for alternative school students. In the following case study, the author explores the environment of the computer-assisted classroom through an investigation of…

The paper is a cross-case analysis of identity development of youth throughout their first year attending two alternative high schools. Alternative schools fall in an interesting space of being able to provide innovative and supportive opportunities that are different from mainstream schooling, yet also alternative schools are part of a mechanism…

In this paper, I use the case study of mothering teens at an alternative school along U.S./Mexico border in Texas to explain how teacher practices and school structure are both equally important in creating a transformative educational experience for students who were disengaged from schooling. Through Bourdieuian theory (Bourdieu, 1990), this…

Educators' excessive uses of exclusionary discipline have led to increased placements of students in disciplinary alternative schools, but few studies examine student experiences after their alternative school placements. Using a theoretical framework informed by critical race theory and the role of the discourse of safety in student discipline,…

Individuals involved in the profession of teaching continue to leave the educational profession. This has an adverse effect on the quality of education for the students and increased financial costs for school districts. School districts are in the process of training new teachers that have not attained a traditional education degree in the…

The "2024 Comprehensive Biennial Report on Texas Public Schools" describes the status of Texas public education, as required by §39.332 of the Texas Education Code. The report contains 16 chapters on the following topics: (1) state progress on academic performance indicators; (2) student performance on state assessments; (3) performance…

This article addresses a significant gap in the transformative learning literature as it relates to collective transformation, a transformation that is a level beyond individual transformation and is differentiated from the designed and imposed forms of social or organizational change. We consider collective transformation as an emergent and…

This report summarizes the deliberations and recommendations of the California Advisory Task Force on Alternative Schools (Task Force). The Task Force is a public service project of the John W. Gardner Center for Youth and their Communities at Stanford University and is convened in collaboration with the California Department of Education (CDE). A…

Apprenticeships are changing. The increasing proportions of people entering apprenticeships at various levels of ability and backgrounds are stimulating demand for alternative pathways to completions. This good practice guide assembles the key findings for education practitioners and workplace supervisors from three related research reports on…

For mid- to upper-level administrators in higher education who are well-established in their careers and attempting to balance the multiple responsibilities of school, work, and family, an executive EdD program may provide the flexibility and support needed to consider pursuing a doctoral degree. The purpose of this study was to explore student…

This randomized controlled trial examines the effectiveness of a motivational interviewing (MI) group on the academic motivation of students at an alternative school (N = 43). Findings demonstrated that MI groups are effective in increasing extrinsic motivation, whereas both the waiting list control and study skills comparison group did not…

The increased use of exclusionary discipline over the past four decades has included educators sending students to involuntary disciplinary schools. Reasons for sending students often include infractions that are subjectively defined by educators and nonviolent in nature, suggesting that educators' beliefs about students and their behaviors play…

This executive summary highlights the value of making chronic absence data transparent and available to families, community partners, and other stakeholders outside school systems. Aimed at motivating action, this report: (1) shares key findings from the analysis of the scale, scope, and concentration of chronic absence in schools throughout the…

At-risk youth come to school with a variety of challenges that sometimes lead to voluntary or involuntary disengagement from traditional high schools. Alternative education programs are an alternate placement for students who have disengaged from traditional high schools. Although researchers have shown that teacher and staff approaches to the…