Johnston, C., Cooch, G., & Pollard, C. (2004). A rural alternative school and its effectiveness for preventing dropouts. Rural Educator, 25(3), 25-29.

83% graduation rate

• Voluntary enrollment, for a minimum of one semester
• Transportation is provided for all students
• Students earn privileges using a four-level Phase System based on behavior and attendance.
• Characterized by small student/teacher ratio; committed school staff; high expectations and standards for behavior, attendance, and performance; flexible schedule; students work at their own pace; caring relationships between students and staff; safe environment

Pollard, C. J., & Thorne, T. (2003). Student centered policies and practices help students "at risk" earn high school diploma. Rural Educator, 24(3), 27-33.

85% graduation rate (state rate is 81%)

Significantly lowered rate of teenage pregnancies

• Personal attention from teachers—teachers learn about each student's personal life and design a "person-fit" plan for his/her high school completion
• Innovation and flexibility in program planning; students can carry over partial course credit from one year to the next
• Tutoring and study hall time available before and after school
• Community partnerships and school-based business enterprises
• Remedial education, work-study, and special interest programs such as community service
• Counseling and guidance programs, support groups for students with relationship, parent communication, substance abuse problems
• Services for teenage parents, including cost-free day care and training in child development, parenting skills, prenatal care, and childbirth classes
• Parental involvement
• Schoolwide celebration of graduation, including Senior Celebration Dinner for students and their families, teachers, and staff
• Announcement over intercom when a student completes graduation requirement, followed by the graduate "walking the hall"—staff and students line the hallways and cheer as the student walks through

Rossi, R. J., Vergun, P. B., & Weise, L. J. (1997). Serving rural youth at risk: A portrait of collaboration and community. Journal of Education for Students Placed at Risk, 2(3), 213-227.

Has kept at-risk students in school longer than area sites with similar students

Raised grades of students

Designated as a model at-risk and drop-out recovery program by TEA

Strategies have been replicated in other rural areas

• Pooled material resources from several jurisdictions
• Ambition vision
• Site-based decision-making opportunity and authority
  Strong sense of community among administrators, teachers, and students; teachers and principal care about students on a personal and academic level
• Innovation and risk-taking in planning and delivering program activities
• Serves students from eight districts in four counties; superintendents of the districts make up governing board
• Principal has authority for day-to-day planning and implementation of program; door always open to students, staff
• Transportation provided for all students
• Staff came with open minds and understood the challenge and the opportunity of working at the school; hiring decisions shared by entire staff; all teachers certified in their fields
• State-licensed day care center
• Seclusion of campus maintains safe, supportive environment for learning
• Small classes, individualized instruction, school-to-work link, flexible scheduling, individual and group counseling, vocational training, paid work experience, innovative educational practices

Bland, P., Church, E., Neill, S., & Terry, P. (2008). Lessons from successful alternative education: A guide for secondary school reform. Eastern Education Journal, 37(1), 29-42.

Students surveyed had all been former dropouts from regular schools who had since graduated from one of the centers

• Caring atmosphere
• Mutual respect, teamwork, responsibility for learning
• Lack of competition
• Individual student support, small class size
• New start in neutral environment
• Independent learning, self-paced; self-motivation
• Flexible, expanded hours
• Study one subject for extended period of time
• Technology allowed accommodation of different learning rates, immediate feedback

Paglin, C., & Fager, J. (1997). Alternative schools: Approaches for students at risk. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Lab.

80% graduation rate

90% are employed one year after graduation

• Students attend by choice
• School operates year-round, from 7:00 A.M. to 9:30 P.M. to accommodate work schedules
• Services include day care, good bank, clothing bank, AA support group
• Networks with more than 59 local, state, and federal agencies
• Students must attend at least 3 hours a day on campus; any time missed must be made up
• Small classes, self-directed studies, tutor always available
• Online tutorial program for remote and homebound students
• Heavy school-to-work emphasis; high school students must work at least 15 hours a week; middle school students must do community service
• Teen parents must take life skills and parenting classes
• All teachers serve as advisors and call students who do not show up for class

Paglin, C., & Fager, J. (1997). Alternative schools: Approaches for students at risk. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Lab.

Most students do not want to return to the mainstream high school

• Hire teachers who are patient, tolerant, consistent, humane
• Students have a voice in school policies
• Located separately from the regular high school
• Students study one subject at a time for 70 class hours and work at their own pace
• Small classes, flexible scheduling, closed campus
• Junior high students do not mix with older students
• Parents involved in some of the disciplinary strategies

Schomburg, G., & Rippeth, M. (2009). Rethinking virtual school. Principal Leadership, 10(4), 32-36.

All virtual lab students earned credits toward graduation, compared to 30% of students who attempted to earn credits working from home or the library

Student rating of the virtual lab was 93% positive

• Time provided within the school schedule to work in the virtual lab
• Counselor and aide in the room provided motivation and support
• Subject-area specialists (regular education teachers) available throughout the day
• Intervention teachers available to help with IEP students
• Provided seniors with a last chance to make up credits for graduation
• Students work at their own pace

Paglin, C., & Fager, J. (1997). Alternative schools: Approaches for students at risk. Portland, OR: Northwest Regional Educational Lab.

Attendance is good

Program grew from 9 students first year to 34 the second year

Students have matured, gained social skills, and have better self-image and self-confidence

• Located in separate building
• Students choose to attend; a student with a behavior problem must maintain 4-6 weeks of acceptable behavior to demonstrate motivation to attend the school
• Active, hands-on approach; reliance on community resources; credit may be earned through independent study program
• Feeling of family identity and community
• Group discussions and individual counseling
• High expectations
• Hire staff who love working with teenagers

Bates, J. T. (1993). Portrait of a successful rural alternative school. Rural Educator, 14(3), 20-24.

Improved attendance and performance

• Usually fewer than 15 students per class
• Focal point is on academic achievement
• Counselor calls or goes to home of students who are absent; parents required to come in if there is any kind of problem
• Students have access to counselor at all times; immediate and long range plans developed to ameliorate difficulties
• Principal is pivotal force; has had training in counseling and administration; maintains open channels of communication with parents, students, and staff
• Ongoing assessment of students and program
• Professional development for staff based on individual/group needs
• Discipline and respect integral part of the program; dress code enforced
• Parents required to accompany student to entry interview and must agree to remain involved
• Representative from business, industry, and community serve as mentors (includes mayor, college faculty, school board members, industry executives, others)
• Diagnostic program helps individualize student reading plans
• School board, superintendant show support through funding and mentoring; many businesses support financially
• On Fridays, school ends after lunch for students who have been productive during the week
• Field trips to museums, zoo, cultural and historic sites
• "Gotcha Cards" for outstanding performance; recipients are taken to lunch at school's expense