What is an alternative high school?

Question

How come people say that an alternative high school is for bad students when it is a choice that students make? It's not a special school so schools can't force students to go to an alternative high school. I live near Great Neck and we have an alternative high school in our district called Great Neck Village School. Many students comment that only "druggie" people go there. And only people who get into trouble in the traditional schools go there. I'm sick and tired of hearing people say this. so please can you tell these people that alternative high schools are for students who want to be there, hence the word "alternative"?

But is there a source that says alternative high schools are geared towards students not doing well in the traditional schools?

But we can all agree that alternative high schools are not special schools? Alternative high schools aren't geared towards students with disabilities. The least restrictive environment says that students with disabilities that aren't functioning in the general educational environment shouldn't be placed in a regular class. Alternative high schools offer regular classes and therefore would not meet the needs of disabled students. It would be wrong to push disabled students when they are failing regular classes in the regular schools to alternative high schools.

I made a mistake above. Whatever that says "disabiliities", it is "special needs". Special needs is more neutral. Disabilities is only for those with disabilities and special education includes gifted children as well. So sorry about my mistake. It's special needs.

I made a mistake above. Whatever that says "disabilities"; it is "special needs". A special need is more neutral. Disabilities are only for those with disabilities and special education includes gifted children as well. I am so sorry about my mistake. It is special needs. Its special needs.

Answer 1

I work at a so-called alternative high school. We offer a self paced curriculum which is an ALTERNATIVE to the direct teach method in traditional high schools. In any given classroom, the student to teacher ratio is 7:1 which is an ALTERNATIVE to the traditional 30:1. We offer students a chance to control their own education and course work which is ALTERNATIVE to the traditional scheduling and curriculum. We accept juniors and seniors, only, through an application and interview process which is an ALTERNATIVE to students "having" to attend. Our maximum enrollment is 350 which is an ALTERNATIVE to the traditional 1000's. We do still have out problems with substance abuse...tell me which school doesn't?! We also have about 80% of our graduates go onto higher education. In addition, we have a high number of 3 year graduates b/c of our self paced curriculum. Students who work at a faster pace attend so that they have an ALTERNATIVE to the traditional 18 week curriculum.
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Alternative high school has negative connotation. It is not necessarily for students who are not doing well, it is for students who feel that they will do even better in an alternative setting. In the past, and even today, alternative highschool continues to have negative connotation. I think that the "proof is in the pudding". Many parents of our students are wary when it comes to their child choosing to enroll here. It is not until they begin to see results that their mind changes. People think that the only way is the traditional way. No one person is alike and we are constantly seeking alternate methods of understanding. I do not know why some people cannot understand the big picture.
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Try not to take the nay sayers to heart. It is your education and it is your life. You have decided that you need a different form of learning. It is not a bad thing that you have chosen this road. Congratulations on being self aware and taking charge! It will pay off and I wish you the best!

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I found some reading for you. I was curious, too.

Answer 2

The school district I taught in until I retired recently had a second type of alternative high school. I do not know how widespread this type program has become, but our district opened a program on the local community college campus and called it the high school at the college. Students still had to complete California high school graduation requirements, but they were able to also begin taking some college classes in the field of their particular interests.
I do not want to stereotype anyone here, and I had to think long and hard about it if any of my students asked me to write a recommendation for them because they were making a very big decision in leaving the regular high school campus and going on to this new program. For many it turned out to be an excellent decision. Here comes the part where I hope you will not think I am stereotyping. The students who felt the most at home on the college campus, I believe, were those who, for whatever reasons, had not felt that they fit in well socially on a regular high school campus. There are certainly students of all types and ages at a community college, and this diverse population has varied goals. They felt much less pressured to have the same types of goals as their peers, and for many, it was exactly the right move. I missed them, but they did the right thing by making that move.

In terms of a regular alternative high school, sometimes students have fallen so far behind in credits that their only option for earning those credits is a system when they can work at their own pace and finish credits faster than they can in a program with "seat time" tied to credits. I believe that such programs probably vary greatly from district to district. If you are considering such a program, why not ask if you can go and observe? Perhaps your parent(s) could observe separately if you decide that you do feel comfortable with what you have seen there.
Best of luck to you!!! Whatever you do, do not waste a good brain!!!! We need more educational options in our society, not less.

Answer 3

That isn't entirely true. Perhaps it's true in Great Neck, but alternative high schools are generally established for students who can't fit in to the regular high school curriculum. It doesn't necessarily mean that those students are criminals, but it DOES mean that their behavior or ability to get along with the general high school population is below the norm and that the regular high school finds that they require an amount of attention not available in their school

Answer 4

You are cetainly allowed to enter the US Army with a G.E.D. as a matter of fact it isn't uncommon.