Indiana has an alternative education program which is designed to meet the needs of “at risk” students who are not succeeding in the traditional school system. The students are supported by government services and given several options to help maximize their chances of success. There are several unique programs available to Indian’s students, but they all share certain characteristics which are essential to success. One issue is that the students are not in a comfortable enough environment to begin with. If at least they had some level of adequate school furniture to work with, then things could be easier. But as things stand, this is often not the case.
Those characteristics are:
• Small classroom size with a maximum 1:15 teacher to student ratio
• Small student base
• The school has a mission and it is clearly stated
• The school has a clear code of discipline
• Concerned, caring faculty with ongoing staff development
• The staff has high expectations for student achievement
• The learning program should be in-tune with each student’s individual needs and learning style
• School schedule should be flexible and the community should be involved, giving support
• There is a total commitment to the success of each student
There are several types of alternative education available, some relying on school chairs, and some not as much. Those different types include alternative classrooms; school-within-a-school programming; separate alternative schools; and ‘last-chance’ schools for students who disrupt.