A descriptive study of public alternative schools in Georgia

The purpose of this study was to identify the types of alternative schools in Georgia, to describe the characteristics of the alternative schools, and their students, and to determine the primary goals of the alternative schools. The descriptive information was collected from 97 public alternative schools. The data collected by a 44 item multiple response survey included the perceptions of Georgia's alternative school administrators. The survey items were developed from a literature search and site visits to five different models of alternative schools in a large urban school system. The responses were categorized to calculate the range, mean, percentages, and numerical frequencies for selected variables. The data were summarized by categories and arranged in frequency tables to facilitate interpretation of the findings. The results indicate that there are two general types (CrossRoads and Non-CrossRoads) and 11 different models of alternative schools ranging from a class within a school to community-based alternative schools.;Most are rural CrossRoads schools that receive funding to serve chronically disruptive youth, which comprise a majority of the student enrollment. A basic academic curriculum (reading, writing, and mathematics) is emphasized by 64% of schools, a teacher-pupil ratio of 1:15 exists in 73% of the CrossRoads schools and Isolation of Students is the primary role of 61% of schools. Seventy-two percent of the students are from single-parent homes and 75% of the CrossRoads' students qualify for Free or Reduced Lunch. African-American students comprise 59% of the CrossRoads schools' population.