High School Alternative Program

by Noah Berlatsky (Editor)

Overview

This fascinating volume of essays examines whether or not alternative programs can help at-risk and special needs students, what alternatives there are to those who do not obtain a high school diploma, whether or not Charter and Magnet schools are good alternatives to high school, and if online learning is a good alternative for high school students. Essay sources include the National Association of the Deaf, Glenn Harlan Reynolds, Nirvi Shah, Genevieve Siegel-Hawley, and Erica Frankenberg.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780737772708
Publisher:	Greenhaven Publishing LLC
Publication date:	12/04/2014
Series:	Opposing Viewpoints Series
Pages:	232
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 8.90(h) x 0.70(d)
Age Range:	15 - 17 Years

Table of Contents

Why Consider Opposing Viewpoints? 11

Introduction 14

Chapter 1 Can Alternative Programs Help At-Risk and Special-Needs Students?

Chapter Preface 19

1 Alternative High School Programs Can Help Address Dropout Rates John H. Tyler Magnus Lofstrom 21

2 Schools Lower Dropout Rates by Forcing Students to Go to Alternative Schools Heather Vogell 32

3 At-Risk Students Are Forced into Alternative Schools Scott Travis Megan O'Matz 40

4 Specialized Schools Are Vital for Hearing-Impaired Students: National Association of the Deaf 45

5 Hearing-Impaired Students Do Well Socially in Mainstream Classrooms Shirin D. Antia Patricia Jones John Luckner Kathryn H. Kreimeyer Susanne Reed 51

6 Children with Mental Disabilities Should Be Included in Mainstream Classrooms Nirvi Shah 63

7 Inclusion Does Not Benefit Disabled Students Barbara Jones 72

Periodical and Internet Sources Bibliography 76

Chapter 2 What Are Alternatives to a High School Diploma?

Chapter Preface 78

1 The GED Is a Valuable Alternative to High School for Hispanics Richard Fry 80

2 GED Offers "Minimal Value" Mary Pilon 87

3 A More Difficult and Expensive GED Puts a Burden on Test Takers Kavitha Cardoza 92

4 A Harder GED Is Coming, and It's a Good Thing for Students James E. Causey 99

Periodical and Internet Sources Bibliography 104

Chapter 3 Are Charter and Magnet Schools Good Alternatives for Students?

Chapter Preface 106

1 Charter Schools Improve High School Graduation Rates Kevin Booker Tim R. Sass Brian Gill Ron Zimmer 108

2 Why Charter Schools Need Better Oversight Jeff Bryant 120

3 Charter Schools Financially Starve Neighborhood Schools Timothy Meegan 128

4 Charter High Schools Improve Outcomes for Minority Students Jackie Hardy 133

5 Magnet Schools Promote Diversity and Improve Student Performance Genevieve Siegel-Hawley Erica Frankenberg 138

6 Funding of Connecticut Magnet Schools Is Unfair and Unsustainable Robert A. Frahm 147

Periodical and Internet Sources Bibliography 155

Chapter 4 Is Online Learning a Good Alternative for High School Students?

Chapter Preface 157

1 Motivating High School Students in Online Courses Is Difficult Elizabeth Murphy María A. Rodíguez-Manzanares 159

2 Consider Alternative Schooling: Column Glenn Harlan Reynolds 172

3 Online K-12 Schools in Colorado Are Failing Students Burt Hubbard Nancy Mitchell 177

4 MOOC: Will These Four Letters Change K-12? Michelle Locke 187

5 Massive Open Online Courses Are Overhyped and Have Serious Problems for K-12 Audrey Watters 194

Periodical and Internet Sources Bibliography 202

For Further Discussion 203

Organizations to Contact 205

Bibliography of Books 210

Index 214

Editorial Reviews

Review: High School Alternative Program "Each volume in the Opposing Viewpoints series could serve as a model...not only providing access to a wide diversity of opinions, but also stimulating readers to do further research for group discussion and individual interest. Both shrill and moderate, the selections—by experts, policy makers, and concerned citizens—include complete articles and speeches, long book excerpts, and occasional cartoons and boxed quotations...all up to date and fully documented. The editing is intelligent and unobtrusive, organizing the material around substantive issues within the general debate. Brief introductions to each section and to each reading focus the questions raised and offer no slick answers."—Booklist

From the Publisher