A program evaluation of an alternative school in rural central North Carolina

School districts nationwide offer alternative learning schools to provide students facing educational challenges a different learning environment to ensure student success. The success of alternative schools is attributed to offering a variety of approaches to teaching and learning which are unlike programs offered by traditional schools. Alternative schools are created with numerous philosophies addressing the needs of their diverse population different from those of traditional educational programs. Most students who attend an alternative school are at risk for educational failure due to a variety of reasons. This study was a mixed methods study designed to evaluate an alternative school in the rural central North Carolina. The researcher explored the role of the school in relation to district goals, school climate, and effectiveness of the programs offered.