Alternative Schools

The Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) has awarded a grant to researchers from the Institute of Community Integration (ICI) to study alternative schools nationwide. There are 20,000 alternative schools in the United States that usually have the following characteristics:

• Low enrollment
• Individualized instruction
• Supportive environment
• Curricula tailored to fit student needs and future goals
• Flexible structure.

One of the goals of this research project will be to discover how alternative schools serve students with disabilities and what affect IDEA 1997 has on these alternative schools. Researchers will do a general examination of alternative schools across the country; perform five case-studies based on an examination of alternative schools; visit schools to gather information from students, parent, educators, and administrators; and, recommendations on policy, practice, and further research based on the information collected. For more information, contact Cammy Lehr at 612.624.5832 or lehrx@tc.umn.edu.

Institute on Community Integration, 102 Pattee Hall, 150 Pillsbury Drive SE, Minneapolis MN 55455, 612.624.6300 (voice), 612.624.9344 (fax), http://ici.umn.edu (website), info@icimail.coled.umn.edu (email).