Alternative middle school models: An exploratory study

ABSTRACT

A Midwestern state allocated grant funding to encourage more accessible alternative programming at the middle level. Seventeen schools were approved for this grant and used the funds to supplement the operation of a new or existing program. This study provides policymakers and educators with an overview of the various types of alternative middle school programs in the state, focusing on schools that met the qualifications for funding. The study revealed varying models and promising practices for meeting the needs of at-risk youth, and it identified shortcomings such as a lack of adequate funding, gaps in services, and the need for documentation and systematic data collection to determine program effectiveness and better serve students.

KEYWORDS:

• Alternative education
• junior high school
• middle school
• secondary education

Notes on contributor

Stacy Duffield is a professor in the School of Education at North Dakota State University. Her main research interests include teacher preparation, assessment, and middle-level education.