Defining Success in Alternative Schools

• In Event: Marriott Roundtable Session 62
  In Roundtable Session: Urban Educational Options and Opportunities

Abstract

Alternative high schools have been developed to assist students who have had difficulty in a traditional school setting to progress with their educational goals. However, the success rates of these schools have been inconsistent, in large part due to the difficulty in defining success in an alternative school setting. Much of the research in the success of alternative schools is conducted via evaluations of grade point averages, as well as attendance and graduation rates. This research investigated how 17 school staff in 4 alternative schools in the province of Ontario in Canada defined success in their schools. Findings point to the staff’s focus on meeting the social needs of their students, before focusing on academic markers of success.

Author

• Anton Birioukov, University of Ottawa