ABSTRACT
This chapter considers an alternative school to be a school for students who have exhibited academic and discipline problems, as well as those having difficulty adjusting to the traditional school routine for a myriad of reasons. It could be a separate facility where students are transferred when they are suspended or expelled, or it could be a school-within-a-school. The chapter offers a brief review of the types of services and shows that make alternative schools different from traditional schools. It summarizes what the research tells are the best practices in alternative education. Separate alternative learning centers: designed for students needing a special curriculum, such as parenting skills or special job skills, and a separate location from the traditional school, many times located in business environments, churches, or remodeled retail centers with excellent transportation services. Studying the impact of alternative schools on the education of students with disabilities is an important consideration.
