Journal of Education and Human Development

Perceptions of Postsecondary Educational Opportunities of Graduates of an Alternative School Setting
Kenzie Bond, J. Ray Thompson

Abstract
Alternative educational settings are designed to meet the needs of students who are at risk of dropping out, who have already dropped out, or who are engaging in conduct severe enough to warrant removal from the mainstream setting. Alternative programs fall into one of two categories: a program that emphasizes disciplinary action or remediation commonly referred to as a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program or a program with an academic emphasis that is designed to address students’ academic needs and deficiencies. The focus of this study was on alternative education programs focused on the academic performance of atrisk students. This study sought to understand the advantages and disadvantages of being in an alternative school in terms of students’ plans immediately following graduation by understanding their perceptions of their preparedness to face the challenges of postsecondary education after they graduate from the alternative school. This study exploredthe perceptions of entering college for students identified as at-risk who were expected to graduate from an alternative school. The findings revealed three major themesthat describe students’perceptions of postsecondary opportunities and plans. These three themes included factors leading to postsecondary plans, progress made toward postsecondary plans, and perceptions of preparedness regarding postsecondary plans.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/jehd.v4n3a1