Author

Kate Storks

Term

Spring 2021

Capstone

Capstone Project

Degree Name

MAEd

Facilitator(s)

Jennifer Carlson and Kelly Killorn

Content Expert

Kristin DeSanti

Abstract

As schools grapple with the effects of federal accountability under Every Student Succeeds Act, alternative schools are often over-identified as poorly performing. This research brings together current understandings of alternative accountability in the United States to identify which indicators are effective in evaluating school quality in alternative schools. Alternative schools are defined as schools that serve students, aged 16-24 and deemed at-risk and who have not had success in traditional public schools. This research concluded that the typical accountability frameworks that have been set for traditional K-12 schools are inappropriate for alternative campuses whose students are generally behind grade level or who encounter other obstacles their peers in traditional schools do not. Employing academic growth indicators, short-cycle assessments, re-engagement efforts, and allowing input from localized school voices to determine which outcomes would be most appropriate for the students they teach, facilitates a deeper evaluation of alternative schools. Keywords: alternative education, accountability, framework, at-risk youth

Project Type

Extended Literature Review

Keywords

At-risk Students, Accountability, Frameworks, Alternative Schools

dc_type

text

dc_publisher

DigitalCommons@Hamline

dc_format

application/pdf

dc_source

School of Education Student Capstone Projects

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