Alternative School Students Research Articles

Narrative Identity Dimensions of Students in Private Alternative Schools

This study examines how students’ identities are co-constructed through educational experiences. We analyzed narratives of fifth and seventh grade students from two private alternative schools in the Czech Republic. The findings reveal that students identified with friends, had positive relationships with teachers and the school, and experienced interesting education, closeness, and respect. These insights highlight typical identity characteristics for their age group and emphasize the importance of positive educational experiences in shaping students’ identities. This study contributes to research on narrative identity and the role of alternative private schools in primary and lower secondary education.

학생 행위주체성(Student Agency) 형성과정에 대한 미인가(未認可) 대안학교 졸업생들의 내러티브 연구

This study explored the experiences and meanings of the process of forming agency among students at an unauthorized alternative school. A narrative research method was used, with stories about learning experiences at an alternative school and life experiences after graduation as the main research data. The research questions were as follows: How is student agency expressed in the learning experiences of alternative school students? How is agency integrated into graduates’ lives? What educational meaning is inherent in alternative school students’ agency? The results indicated the following. First, graduates initially began with their personal interests in the process of emerging developing agency; they went through a period of self-reflection. Second, they created opportunities for self-expansion by meeting various people both inside and outside the school. Third, the participants critically reflected on the values they learned in alternative schools after graduation and integrated them with deliberations on what a good life is for them and the world. Fourth, teachers were specific and meaningful beings who fostered student agency. Fifth, agency is not fixed, but is fluid depending on the circumstances of the community of practice.

깨치며 나아가는 대안학교 학생들의 이야기: 자발적으로 공립 대안학교에 진학한 학생들의 학교생활 경험을 중심으로

깨치며 나아가는 대안학교 학생들의 이야기: 자발적으로 공립 대안학교에 진학한 학생들의 학교생활 경험을 중심으로

대안교육 특성화중학생의 학교선택동기, 특성화수업만족도와 진로준비행동의 관계에서 학교적응의 매개효과

대안교육 특성화중학생의 학교선택동기, 특성화수업만족도와 진로준비행동의 관계에서 학교적응의 매개효과

School climate and depressive symptoms of disciplinary alternative school students: Resilience as a mediator

We examined the relationships among school climate, resilience, and depressive symptoms of 153 students at disciplinary alternative schools in China, focusing on the mediating effect of resilience and its two components of individual power and supportive power in the association between school climate and students' depressive symptoms. Participants completed the Perceived School Climate Inventory-Middle School, the Resilience Scale for Chinese Adolescents, and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Results indicated that the students' perception of school climate and their depressive symptoms were significantly and negatively correlated, and resilience and depressive symptoms were also significantly and negatively correlated. In addition, resilience significantly mediated the effect of school climate on the students' depressive symptoms. Finally, the effect of individual power in mediation of the relationship between school climate and depressive symptoms was greater than that of supportive power. The findings provide implications for school policy makers and mental health professionals by highlighting the need for promoting both a positive school climate and students' resilience and its component of individual power.

Socioemotional health, trauma exposure, and internalizing symptoms in students attending an alternative high school.

Students attending alternative schools often present with internalizing symptoms, likely related to high rates of trauma. Little is known about factors that buffer the relationship between trauma exposure and internalizing symptoms in this population. The present study examined the role of internal (i.e., self-efficacy, self-awareness, persistence) and external resources (i.e., peer support, family coherence, school support) as buffers in the association between trauma exposure and symptoms of depression and anxiety in 113 students (55% female, 91% Black, 8% Hispanic or Latinx, Mage = 18.0, SD = 1.5) attending an alternative school in a large, southeastern city. Results showed that trauma exposure was positively associated with depression and anxiety symptoms, while self-awareness and family coherence were negatively associated with depression and anxiety symptoms. Additionally, significant interactions revealed that trauma exposure was associated with depression symptoms at low but not high levels of self-awareness, and at low but not high levels of family coherence. Understanding strengths to support alternative high school students exposed to trauma is a valuable component of mental health intervention. Future research should investigate ways to cultivate self-awareness and enhance family coherence to address the complex needs of alternative school students. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2023 APA, all rights reserved).

Measuring Anxiety Level of Learning English Language among Refugee Teenagers in Malaysia

Owing to legislative restrictions, Malaysia cannot provide education for refugee children. Instead, the state invites numerous parties, including NGOs, to construct alternative refugee schools. Because education for refugees is an alternative, the goal is directed at practical skills to help refugees work and integrate with Malaysian society or the following country for future resettlement. All of Malaysia's alternative schools for refugees place a strong emphasis on English language acquisition. Even with free education, refugee children struggle to learn English as a Second Language. Psychological phenomena, such as language anxiety, trigger obstacles in learning English. However, learning about language anxiety in the context of alternative education in Malaysia has rarely been studied. Using the mixed-method methodology (MMR) brings about post-positivism and interpretivism. This study had two goals: (1) bridging research gaps on anxiety in learning English as a second language from the viewpoint of alternative school actors and students in refugee communities; and (2) providing solutions for alternative education for refugee communities in Malaysia to understand and address foreign language anxiety. Our study focuses on refugee students from three alternative schools in Klang Valley: the United Learning Center (ULC), Save School Malaysia, and Refugee Academy. The quantitative technique used 92 students to complete the English language classroom anxiety scale (ELCAS), derived from the Foreign Language Classroom Scale (FLCAS). In addition, we interviewed two persons and one teacher from each school for the qualitative approach. For data analysis, we used SPSS 19 for a quantitative and interpretive approach to the qualitative data. Qualitative results indicate that refugee children from three Klang Valley alternative schools experienced medium foreign language learning anxiety. Most refugee children were anxious about English courses, regardless of gender or stream group, emphasizing the necessity for educators and other stakeholders to understand refugee children's anxiety levels and take action with extensive knowledge of anxiety and compassion. Counsellors must also work with teachers to create interventions to assist refugee children in handling their anxiety while studying English. Finally, instructors must use fascinating teaching approaches to minimize refugee children's anxiety, motivate them with emphaty and compassion,and avoid overcorrection.

RECOMMENDATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL DETERMINATION BASED ON ACADEMIC POTENTIAL USING NAÏVE BAYES METHOD

Education is an important factor in educating the nation's generation. Indonesia has a 9-year learning program that forms the basis for every student at every school level. Not infrequently, some students are confused in choosing a secondary school, so many students still make the wrong choice because they do not constantly adjust to their academic potential, only follow friends' invitations to continue to high school, as well as encouragement from parents. Thus, when they continue to school, they become less enthusiastic and do not participate optimally in learning at school. This study aims to support students in finding alternative secondary schools that follow students' academic potential and assessment attributes in research. The method in this research is Nave Bayes because it can produce high school recommendations by finding the most significant probability value of the attributes used in studying subject values, craft scores, and the value of the extracurricular areas of interest. The results of high school recommendations for students of SMP Negeri 3 Seririt can be used as an information, and based on the results of testing using the Confusion Matrix on 40 student data, the accuracy is 58.33%, the calculation precision is 75%, and the recall calculation is 43%.

Emotions and sensory processing in adolescents: The effect of childhood traumatic experiences

Reportedly, maltreated children are more likely to have a mental illness, interpersonal violence, and other social behavior problems than those without trauma experience. However, there are few studies regarding childhood trauma and sensory processing relationship and the relationship is not clear until today. To verify the association between childhood trauma emotions and sensory processing in adolescents is the aim of this study. To gather traumatized adolescents, we conducted survey questionnaires from six alternative schools and one general high school in South Korea. A total of 260 students has answered the questions: trauma/parenting/school adaptation factors, childhood trauma, the difficulty of emotion regulation, positive and negative emotional measure, shortened self-control measure, and adolescent/adult sensory profile. We analyzed linear regression between childhood trauma and other emotions/sensory processing in total subjects and conducted group comparisons between general school and alternative school. With childhood trauma, negative emotion, emotion dysregulation, sensory profile including subscales showed positive correlations. A significant negative correlation was observed between the self-control scale and childhood trauma score. In group comparison results, trauma factors, primary caregiver, custody transfer, and school life adaptation factors were significantly higher in alternative school students (p < 0.002) while the parental relationship did not show a difference. Childhood trauma score, vision, and tactile were significantly higher in alternative school students. To summarize, our results present a direct effect of childhood trauma on sensory function in adolescents and was confirmed the importance of family environments in adolescents.

Care Matters: Student Perspectives of Mental Health Determinants in an Alternative High School.

Public alternative schools in the United States are multifaceted educational entities that often serve students marginalized from traditional spaces, yet little research exists highlighting the perceptions of alternative school students regarding mental health-promoting school practices. In this qualitative study, the voices of seven alternative high school students (four female and three male) are presented through the use of a targeted focus group. The following two research questions guided this study: What aspects of the public alternative school environment do students perceive to facilitate their mental health? What aspects of public alternative school environments do students perceive as barriers to mental health? Using qualitative descriptive methods, findings suggested that for these students the alternative school is a unique institution, designed for them, in which they can thrive due to the caring nature of the professionals they encounter. Implications for practitioners dedicated to producing mental health-promoting, inclusive school spaces for marginalized youth are presented.

“I Hope I Make It”: Alternative School Students’ Attendance and the Need for an Expanded Accountability

Few empirical studies describe the interior world of alternative school settings. We conducted semi-structured qualitative interviews with 11 alternative school students, discussing factors that contribute to absenteeism as well as the circumstances that led them to enroll in an alternative setting. We find that students’ regular attendance is facilitated by (1) stable housing, (2) a means of transportation to school, (3) feelings of belonging, and (4) flexible supports from staff. Given that two of these pertain to matters beyond the school, we argue for an “expanded accountability,” in which the language of “accountability” is broadened to encompass non-educational policymaking.

The Effect of Academic Stress on the Successful Intelligence According by the Types of High School (Regular High School and Alternative School)

본 연구는 유형에 따른 고등학생들의 성공지능과 학업스트레스의 차이를 알아보고, 학업스트레스가 성공지능에 미치는 영향을 분석하기 위한 연구이다. 이를 위해 일반 고등학교와 대안학교 학생을 대상으로 성공지능과 학업스트레스 검사를 실시하였으며, 결과는 다음과 같다. 첫째, 성공지능은 일반 고등학교 학생이 높은 반면, 학업 스트레스의 경우 대안학교 학생이 낮은 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 학업스트레스와 성공지능 하위 요인 간 두 유형의 학교 학생들 모두 유의한 상관을 나타내었다. 셋째, 학업스트레스가 성공지능에 미치는 영향은 일반 고등학교 학생에게 더 큰 것으로 나타났으며, 유형에 따른 고등학생들의 성공지능에 영향을 미치는 학업스트레스 하위 요인에 차이가 나타났다. 본 연구를 통해 학업스트레스가 성공지능에 영향을 미치며 학교간 차이가 있음이 나타났다. 또한 학업스트레스를 줄일 수 있는 방안에 대하여학교 유형에 따른 학습자의 특성과 학교의 여건을 충분히 활용하는 노력이 필요함을 시사하고 있다.This study is to find out the difference between successful intelligence and academic stress according to type of high school students and to analyze the effect of study stress on successful intelligence. Ordinary and alternative school students were tested for it. The result of this study is as follows. First, the analysis showed that the successful intelligence was high among ordinary high school students, while for academic stress, the alternative school students were low. Second, between academic stress and successful intelligence sub-factors, both students at regular and alternative schools showed significant correlation. Third, ordinary high school students were more effected by academic stress on successful intelligence and there were differences of sub-factors by type of school. This study suggested that efforts should be made to reduce academic stress by full use of learners characteristics and conditions by type of school.

“They gonna yell whether or not I talk, so why bother:" Navigating silence in an alternative school in Alabama

<span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt;line-height:115%;font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif;mso-fareast-font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;;mso-ansi-language:EN;mso-fareast-language:EN-US;mso-bidi-language:AR-SA">In this paper, we position our work with alternative school students in Alabama as a Project in Humanization (Kinloch &amp; San Pedro, 2014; 2017) to explore the transactional nature of silence at the school. Drawing on data generated over the course of one semester with students in an agriscience elective class, we construct alterna-narratives to examine the varying ways in which educators at the school expected and responded to student silence and voice, using silence as both a currency and a punishment that ranged from the false promise ofre-entry at the main high school to further exclusion from the setting. We juxtapose these transactions to students’ desires for their lives to illustrate how dehumanizing silence and its uses in schools can be. </span>

The Relationship between Internet Addiction and the Mental Health of North Korean Adolescent Refugees in Alternative Schools

Objectives ： North Korean adolescent refugees have mental health difficulties and adaptation problems in South Korea due to psychological trauma. Recently, the prevalence of internet addiction, which is known to be closely related to mental health, among adolescents has increased. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between the mental health of North Korean adolescent refugees and internet addiction. Methods ： The study subjects were 95 North Korean adolescent refugee alternative school students. The participants completed questionnaires on demographic variables, which considered factors related to North Korean defection and the following self-rated scales to assess depression, impulsivity, and internet addiction : The Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale (CESD), Barratt Impulsiveness Scale-11 (BIS-11), and the Kimberly Young Internet Addiction Test (IAT). Results ： Among the North Korean adolescent refugees who participated in the study, age (t=-2.226, p=0.029), sex (t=2.964, p=0.004), and CES-D scores (t=3.788, p＜0.001) were significantly correlated with IAT scores. Conclusion : Our results showed that depression and internet addiction were highly correlated in North Korean adolescent refugees. This study will be helpful to understand North Korean adolescent refugees with internet addictions.

Using polytomous latent class analysis to compare patterns of substance use and co-occurring health-risk behaviors between students in alternative and mainstream high schools

IntroductionAlternative high school (AHS) students, an understudied and underserved population, experience educational, social, and health disparities relative to students in mainstream high schools. Disparities in single types of substance use are particularly high, yet no known studies have compared patterns of substance use or relationships between these patterns and other health-risk behaviors between AHS and mainstream high schools. MethodsUsing data from the Texas Alternative School Health Survey (n = 515; mean age 17.1 years, 49% male, 59% Hispanic, 23% White, 15% Black) and the Texas Youth Risk Behavior Survey (n = 2,113; mean age 16 years, 47% male, 64% Hispanic, 22% White, 7% Black), we used latent class analyses to compare patterns of substance use in AHSs and mainstream high schools. We used latent class regression to examine relationships between patterns of substance use and involvement in other health-risk behaviors in each school setting. ResultsStudents in AHSs and mainstream high schools had similar patterns of substance use, and youth in higher risk categories engaged in higher levels of other health-risk behaviors. A substantially greater proportion of AHS students, however, fell into the moderate and high use categories, in support of continuing disparities for AHS students. ConclusionsAdditional support is needed in AHSs to address the prevalence of high-risk patterns of substance use and associated health-risk behaviors. For example, ongoing public health surveillance is needed in AHSs, just as is done in mainstream high schools, to monitor trends in substance use and impact of policies and interventions.

School-wide implementation of positive behavioral interventions and supports in an alternative school setting: A case study.

The purpose of this 1-year case study was to identify how School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (SW-PBIS) can be adapted to meet the needs of students in alternative schools and to evaluate the early impact of SW-PBIS on discipline outcomes. Suggestions for adaptations are provided at each stage of the intervention process with a focus on buy-in, training, data collection, and resource allocation. Data from this case study included information about key components of the implementation process as well as initial outcomes. Process data revealed the importance of stakeholder buy-in, training opportunities, and potential adaptations to the framework. Outcome data from the first year of implementation indicated that the number of incident reports did not significantly differ from the baseline; however, there was a reduction in defiance-related behaviors and an increase in on-task behaviors. This study contributes to the determination of the efficacy of SW-PBIS in a historically more punitive environment. Given the initial positive response and lessons learned, it is believed that, with the support of additional Tier 2 and Tier 3 interventions, SW-PBIS may be an appropriate framework to support students in alternative schools.

The Effectiveness of Behavior-Focused Alternative Middle Schools for Students With Disabilities

Behavior-focused alternative schools serve students who are identified by school personnel as exhibiting behavior difficulties, often coupled with low academic achievement. Students can be referred to behavior-focused alternative schools as an alternative to expulsion. In this study, we examined the demographic characteristics of students who attended behavior-focused alternative middle schools, as well as the effectiveness of these schools on two outcomes: (a) standardized state reading assessment scores and (b) number of suspensions received. Using a retrospective cohort design study, we investigated whether students attending behavior-focused alternative middle schools experienced significantly different reading and suspension outcomes compared with a matched sample of students attending traditional middle schools. The majority of students in behavior-focused alternative middle schools were male, Black, and receiving special education services. Results showed that students attending behavior-focused alternative middle schools performed significantly lower on standardized assessments of reading in the eighth grade. No significant differences were noted for the number of suspensions experienced.

Suicidal ideation, suicidal behaviors, and attitudes towards suicide of adolescents enrolled in the Alternative Learning System in Manila, Philippines\u2014a mixed methods study

BackgroundGlobally, suicide is a significant cause of death among adolescents. Previous studies conducted in high-income countries suggest that students in alternative schools are more likely to engage in suicidal behaviors than those in formal schools. This study aimed to document suicidal ideation and behaviors among adolescent learners enrolled in the Alternative Learning System (ALS) in Manila, Philippines.MethodsA mixed methods study was conducted in 24 ALS centers in the city of Manila. ALS centers were stratified according to congressional district and selected using probability proportionate sampling. A cross-sectional survey to determine attitudes towards suicide and prevalence of suicidal ideation and behaviors was administered to 171 learners aged 13 to 17 years old. In-depth interviews with 18 teachers and 12 learners were conducted to explore the school psychosocial environment’s role on learners’ suicidal ideation and behaviors. Exploratory factor analysis was used to extract attitude factors. Fisher’s exact test and Student’s t-test were used to identify differences in sociodemographic characteristics and attitudes towards suicide between learners with or without suicidal ideation or behaviors. Qualitative data were analyzed using thematic analysis.ResultsNon-specific active thoughts were the most common type of lifetime suicidal ideation (40.9%) while passive ideation was the most common in the past month (13.5%). Aborted suicide attempt was the most frequent behavior in both lifetime (16.4%) and in the past month (4.7%). Non-fatal suicide attempt in the past month was 2.3%, reaching 12.9% for the entire lifetime. Age, sex, education, and attitudes towards suicide were significantly associated with suicidal ideation or behavior. Thematic analysis showed five themes: (1) fostering belongingness, (2) securing learners’ safety, (3) teaching philosophy, (4) teacher and learner beliefs towards suicidal behavior, and (5) availability of school-offered and community-based services.ConclusionSuicidal ideation and behaviors are prevalent among adolescent ALS learners. This study also showed a significant difference in attitudes towards suicide and sociodemographic characteristics between learners with and without suicidal ideation behaviors. It also suggests that the school psychosocial environment, through social norms and learner-teacher interactions, can potentially prevent progression of suicidal ideation to behavior, influence help-seeking, and promote mental health among learners.

Intra-District Student Mobility, School Discipline and Gender: Evidence From Clark County, Nevada

Student mobility and school discipline are two prominent challenges in urban school districts. The interaction of gender with school discipline in shaping patterns of student mobility has received little attention. This article examines student mobility patterns across gender and the timing of school changes in Clark County, Nevada. The findings draw attention to discipline-related mobility or the placement of students in alternative schools, especially during the school year. Male students are more likely to switch schools mid-year than female students, and the disproportionate rates of student mobility between male and female students can be explained by disciplinary incidents. Gender is a significant predictor of the destination school quality of discipline-related movers. Policy implications and areas for future research are discussed.

Teacher support as a protective factor against sadness and hopelessness for adolescents experiencing parental incarceration: Findings from the 2015 Texas Alternative School Survey

Estimates indicate that nearly 2 million children in the U.S. experience parental incarceration each year. Parental incarceration can negatively influence youth development and mental health, which highlights the need to identify protective mechanisms. The purpose of this study is to quantify the prevalence of parental incarceration in a sample of alternative school students, explore the relationship between teacher support (a component of school connectedness) and sadness/hopelessness for students reporting parental incarceration, and test whether this relationship might vary by gender or by race/ethnicity. The results indicate that students attending alternative high schools suffer disproportionately from both parental incarceration and sadness. Of the 515 students who took the survey, 48.7% reported experiencing parental incarceration. Of those, 43.2% reported feeling so sad or hopeless almost every day for at least two weeks in the past year that they stopped doing usual activities. The results indicate gender differences between teacher support and sadness/hopelessness. We suggest areas for future research and provide examples of school-based interventions and policy solutions.