Accountability for Alternative Middle Schools: A Place for a Second Chance to Succeed

• In Event: Roundtable Session 101
  In Roundtable Session: Practical Applications of Mixed-Methods Research

Abstract

This sequential, mixed method study was designed to address issues relevant to the application of traditional accountability measures to the assessment of alternative middle schools. Students attending these schools are typically overage members of ethnic minorities and accountability practices often have a negative impact on them. Accountability data from a state-wide set of alternative schools and regular school programs was utilized to determine the measurable school effects on students attending these schools. The value of mixed methods is supported in that it provided a framework for identifying successful alternative schools and attaining a deeper understanding of their characteristics. Through the application of hierarchical linear modeling and participant-oriented evaluation a model for assessing the effectiveness of these schools is suggested.

Authors

• Kim D. MacGregor, Louisiana State University

• Belinda B. Brand, Louisiana State University