ABSTRACT

Title of Dissertation: ALTERNATIVE EDUCATION AND STUDENT COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS:

AN EXAMINATION OF ONE URBAN SCHOOL SYSTEM

Mark E. Fossett, Doctor of Education, 2018

Dissertation directed by: Magaret J. McLaughlin, Ph.D.

A quantitative causal-comparative study was conducted in one large urban school system, in the Mid-Atlantic region of the United States to examine the efficacy of alternative high schools for students at high-risk of academic failure as compared to students at high-risk of academic failure in comprehensive high schools. The investigation revealed that there is a significant difference in the academic and sociocultural variables related to college readiness and successful learning outcomes for high-risk students enrolled in alternative schools versus high-risk students enrolled in comprehensive schools.

The research was conducted in one large urban school system, and will be referred to as DeKota County Public School System(DKCPS). DKCPS opened their alternative school program in 2003. Through a casual-comparative longitudinal analysis of one graduation cohort’s four-year journey through high school, we will examine the differences in academic and sociocultural variables related to college readiness and

successful learning outcomes. Severn variables emerged as being relevant and four of those variables emerged as being significant. They were four different types of quantitative analysis done to validate the variables and the strength of their inclusion in the analysis and outcomes. The data collected provided an opportunity to make recommendations to DKCPS on the benefits that alternative schools have on high-risk alternative school students in their system. Additional research was also recommended to expand this research to multiple school districts to further identify the significant variables that are explanatory of college readiness and successful learning outcomes for high-risk students enrolled in alternative high schools versus high-risk students in comprehensive high schools.