The Impact of Alternative Education: A Summative Evaluation of the Achieve Program

The consequences of dropping out of high school greatly impact both the individual student and society as a whole. Alternative education programs are designed to meet the needs of students who have struggled in the traditional setting and help prevent them from dropping out. This study sought to evaluate the effectiveness of one alternative program housed within a large Midwestern suburban comprehensive high school and to contribute to the limited research on alternative education program effectiveness using student outcome data. The researcher conducted a quantitative quasi-experimental study to compare the differences in student outcome data (GPA, attendance, office discipline referrals, graduation rates) for 112 at-risk students, from graduation cohorts 2013-2016, who attended the Achieve Alternative Education Program (n = 57) with at-risk students who remained in the traditional setting (n = 55). Findings from the statistical analysis indicate that students in the Achieve group showed statistically significant improvements in GPA and attendance rates across time and statistically significant higher graduation rates compared to the control group. The results have important implications in continuing to support the Achieve Alternative Education Program and other similar programs. Additionally, this study can help educational leaders looking to design, implement, and evaluate the effectiveness of alternative education programs and guide their work in preventing at-risk students from dropping out. Future research is recommended including additional measures for disciple and academic performance as well as longitudinal data on students who graduate from alternative education programs