Educator Perspectives on Advantages and Disadvantages of Alternative Schools

Abstract

Many students experience school failure due to academic and/or behavioral challenges that are deemed problematic by school personnel. School districts provide alternative school options for those students based on an assumption that their success hinges on supports beyond those that are provided by traditional schools. Because educators who work in alternative schools are key implementers of programming in them, the purpose of this qualitative interview study was to investigate their perspectives of the advantages and disadvantages of alternative schools. We collected qualitative data from interviews with 17 educators from 11 alternative schools. The findings from our analyses showed both the advantages and disadvantages, with the advantages grouped into four main categories: (a) instructional practices, (b) relationships, (c) policy, and (d) planning for postsecondary. The disadvantages were grouped into six thematic categories: (a) limited options, (b) barriers to instruction, (c) exclusion and stigma, (d) weak social networks, (e) poor management, and (f) sustainability.