Monday, 04/11/05

Tennessee's alternative schools help salvage students who aren't making it in regular schools, but, like their regular classroom counterparts, not all alternative schools are treated equally.

While some of the state's 150 or so alternative schools are successful and well-supported by their districts, far too many are surviving on a patchwork of staff, a shoestring budget and minimal district support and guidance. That's the conclusion of a new report by the state Comptroller's Office of Education Accountability.

''The quality varies significantly across the state,'' said Russell Moore, a top research analyst who spent months visiting and studying alternative schools statewide. ''The disparity is very evident.''

The report calls on the General Assembly, state education officials and local school systems to beef up these schools so that students sent there — often because of chronic behavior and academic problems — will have the best chance to get back on track and stay in school. Last year, struggling students were sent to these second-chance schools 13,784 times.

A tale of two schools.

Recommending changes.

Time line.

Suggested changes ranged from increased funding and more training for staff to strengthening coursework, spelling out how discipline would be handled and smoothing out the transition process for students returning to regular schools. The report also broadly recommended that systems — and the state — get more involved, improve dropout prevention efforts and find better ways to track the kids who move in and out of alternative schools each year.

''The performance standards need to be improved so we can measure how successful our schools are and stop relying so much on anecdotal evidence,'' Moore said. ''The data is simply not there. We're left with the effectiveness of the programs being unclear — we simply don't know.''

In the wake of the report, state education officials have created a task force to look at the state's alternative school guidelines, which cover everything from academics to discipline, as well as the report's other recommendations. And, the state Department of Education recently designated a consultant to serve as a liaison with alternative schools.

Deputy Education Commissioner Keith Brewer said everyone benefits from improving the safety net that alternative schools offer to struggling students. All states are under federal pressure to improve graduation rates, and alternative schools are often the last chance for students on their way out the door. ''They play a very important role,'' he said.

State law requires systems with grade 7 or higher to have an alternative school for middle and high school students who aren't making it in the regular schools.

Students may stay for a few weeks or a year or two. Some systems allow students to choose to stay in the program until graduation if space is available.

Bill Mason, chief executive officer of the Tennessee Alternative Educators Association, says he hopes the report will raise awareness about what these schools do on a daily basis. He points out that, while they work on students' academics, they also try to change bad behavior, get kids away from drugs and alcohol and help them set goals and make better choices.

''They are kids just like any other kids, and sometimes they get lost in the larger schools,'' he said. ''Teachers, in alternative settings especially, need some flexibility to deal with students' individual needs.''

By design, most alternative schools are highly structured and provide a lot of one-on-one attention to students. They also work on life skills.

Heather Knupp says she likes to know exactly what's expected of her. She has been at the New Directions Academy in Dickson County for 1½ years and says it has turned her around. She's no longer getting failing grades, sleeping in class or blowing off school.

''I've learned from my mistakes,'' said Heather, 18 and a high school junior. ''They are way more accepting here, they pay more attention to you. I like being able to work into a class and be noticed.''

John Gunn, principal of New Directions, said adequate funding was critical because these schools need to be able to hire and keep good teachers and other staff, keep class sizes small to provide individual attention, and provide a wide range of programs in place to help kids.

''Alternative education is expensive in terms of the staffing ratios you need, the programs you need and the services you need,'' said Gunn, whose K-12 school has about 90 students. ''A lot of our students have experienced failure from the get-go, and we give them a chance to experience success. Sometimes, it is very much the chance a student needs.''

It was for Bradley Zimmerman, a high school junior who has been at New Directions for about a year. In that time, his attitude has improved and he has stopped fighting and swearing at teachers.

''They take the time to notice you and see who you really are and try to help you with your problems. You always have someone to talk to,'' said Bradley, 17, who likes the changes he's made. ''I don't have many chances left. I was like 'You know, I don't have to be like that.' ''

Alternative schools

An alternative school is a short-term intervention program designed to develop academic and behavior skills for students who have been suspended or expelled from a regular school.

Most of Tennessee's alternative schools were created for students with chronic behavior problems, but in most states there are three different types:

• Choice school. A school that's innovative in the way it's organized or run that students may choose to attend until high school graduation.

• Short-term. A program to help students with moderate discipline problems get back on track. It's often located in the same building or on the same campus as the regular school.

• Longer-term. A program designed to help rehabilitate students with serious academic, social or behavioral problems. It is typically located in an off-site school — away from the regular school building — and includes programs created as a cooperation between the school system and juvenile authorities.

Funding them

Tennessee's public school funding formula sets basic alternative school funding at $2.85 per student in the system plus an additional $23.97 per student in grades 7-12.

The formula, called the Basic Education Program, was created in 1992 with the goal of equalizing funding among school systems. Using student enrollment and other factors, the BEP formula determines a basic level of state funding for teacher salaries, food service, textbooks, busing, vocational programs and other expenses in each district.

Every district must provide a local funding match, based on its ability to pay, to get money from the state. A district's ability to pay is based on the size of its tax base. School districts with a large tax base, such as Metro and those in other urban areas, pay a higher percentage than districts with fewer sources of revenue.

This year, the BEP generated nearly $11.9 million for alternative schools' classroom materials and equipment — an amount that doesn't include the salaries of teachers and staff. Of that $11.9 million amount, $8.9 million came from state funding and the rest was from local school systems.