CURRICULUM DEVELOPMENT IN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS: A DESCRIPTIVE STUDY

Purpose of the Study. The intent of this study was to survey selected alternative high schools to describe the characteristics commonly employed in their curriculum engineering processes. Therefore, the study attempted to do three things: (1) Describe the nature of the curriculum development process utilized in alternative high schools. (2) Describe a projected proposed curriculum development model. (3) Describe and develop an evaluation plan for the proposed curriculum development model. Design of the Study. A questionnaire was developed and mailed to schools registered in the Missouri Valley Alternative Education Council\u27s Directory. The questionnaires were mailed to the head administrator and sought to determine the curriculum engineering process in the sampled schools. The writer compiled the questionnaire data by performing an item analysis-like description of each item. There was a return percentage of sixty-two. Findings. It was discovered that alternative high schools reflected a microcosm of the traditional high school and nearly fifty percent of its students chose to attend. School boards had ultimate power over the curriculum, but teacher discretion guided the activities and learning experiences. Three-fourths of all schools claimed to be student-centered with individualized instruction as the major instructional mode. Nearly one-third of the sampled schools did not evaluate their educational program and there was not an alternative school that utilized summative evaluations. The proposed curriculum model was the Negotiated Curriculum and the complementary evaluation plan was the Criterion-Referenced Modified Evaluation Plan. Conclusions. The Negotiated Curriculum and the complementary Criterion-Referenced Modified Evaluation Plan break with traditional curriculum development processes of alternative high schools. These two elements are novel, but they provide a model for alternative high school curriculum development. Also, it is an instrument for addressing the varying needs of the alternative high school student and for stimulating further research. Recommendations. Ideas for further study would include: (1) a description of the role of a curriculum supervisor in an alternative high school; and (2) a formative and summative study of the articulate of student experiences in the Negotiated Curriculum