Secondary “At-risk” Students' Perceptions of Experiences within a Comprehensive High School and a Continuation High/Alternative High School

Abstract

Comprehensive high schools have been unable to meet the needs of all students (Cotton, 2004). Students face challenges, and some have been labeled at risk for various reasons. These students constitute a unique group who often require more time, energy, and resources than large, comprehensive schools can offer. Consequently, they fall behind on credits and get discouraged (Cotton, 2004). To reduce dropout rates, educators in comprehensive high schools may need to adopt new attitudes toward at-risk students (Knoeppel, 2002). Various reform efforts have not led to change at the systems level, and schools operate according to a design based on the needs of an industrial society. The failure of students to succeed in school is a critical problem. This is because the needs of an information-based society require people to possess informational and technological literacy (SCANS, 1991).