Education Northwest’s landscape scan of high school alternatives identified promising program practices to support students’ agency and interest in their learning. Here we outline these practices from programs identified through this landscape scan and examples of policies that support implementation. We also align these practices to specific case briefs that demonstrate what this can look like in programs. While these highlighted schools and programs are a small subset of the alternative learning environments that are using innovative approaches to transform students’ experiences every day, we hope they will be illustrative and inspiring.
Newcomer Academy provides students with a one-week “welcoming strand” that prepares students to navigate their schools.
Nova High School’s discipline policy is grounded in transformative and restorative justice, focusing on identifying and addressing student needs rather than issuing punishment.
Colorado’s Restorative Justice Practices legislative declaration emphasizes restorative, rather than punitive, approaches to student behavior.
Minnesota’s MAAP Stars program provides an avenue for student feedback so students feel valued.
Illinois’ Bill 342 requires teacher institutes to provide instruction on trauma-informed practices – setting teachers up to provide supportive spaces for their students.
Big Picture Learning’s Upstream Collaborative uses a project-based approach that taps into students’ assets, strengths, and interests, thus providing a foundation for learning and inquiry.
Youth Opportunity (YO) Baltimore combines academic and career services to connect students to employment opportunities.
Boston Day and Evening Academy incorporates post-graduate planning, including early college and career pathways in fields with strong job placement.
Rhode Island’s Individual Learning Plan framework establishes student-directed, personalized learning plans.
Kentucky’s Portrait of a Learner aligns educational experiences with postsecondary opportunities and career pathways.
Map Academy provides competency-based, asynchronous, and blended learning to allow for adapting courses to students’ individual needs and circumstances.
Saline Alternative High School bases high school credit on course completion or content mastery, offering flexibility and personalized pacing
Indiana Gateway Alternative School awards credits based on “demonstration of proficiency,” including through assessments or content-based projects
South Carolina’s Competency-Based Education legislation formalizes a flexible and competency-based approach to education.
Ohio’s Competency-Based Diploma Pilot Program empowers districts to explore, validate, and scale competency-based education systems and practices.
North Carolina’s Credit by Demonstrated Mastery (CDM) policy allows students to earn credits through “artifacts” at the discretion of the LEA, such as oral interviews and capstone projects.
Pace Center for Girls provides comprehensive, community-connected schooling experience that includes counseling, college and career readiness, and life skills training.
Maya Angelou Public Charter School provides trauma-informed mental health counseling as an IEP-requirement and based on student self-sign-up.
High School for Recording Arts (St. Paul) houses a health and wellness center that addresses issues related to sexual health, homeless, violence, and drug use.
Kentucky’s Family Resource and Youth Services Center program provides state-wide support to bring schools and community together to support students.
Utah’s school-based mental health approach allows for the implementation of an evidence-based mental health screening program and provides educators with mental health professional development.
San Andreas Continuation High School provides integrated academic, career, and technical pathways for positive youth development and college and career readiness.
YouthBuild Charter School of California provides a project-based approach where students connected to local leaders in industries such as construction and nursing
Harper Creek High School assigns a mentor who works collaboratively with students to map out their academic and professional goals
Arizona’s College and Career Readiness Indicator incentivizes WBL opportunities and career exploration through financing and use in statewide accountability.
South Carolina’s Work-Based Learning Implementation Guidelines includes mentoring as a defining element of WBL in state guidance.
University High School’s extracurricular activities are determined by students, and the student senate participates in the school’s decision-making.
El Puente Academy for Peace and Justice offers an education explicitly focused on social justice, with students gaining skills in leadership, ready to be change agent and organize for social action.
California’s Local Control Funding Formula Priority 7, Statement of Model Practices prioritizes student engagement in extracurricular and leadership activities as part of LEA reporting and accountability.
Part 100 of Regulations of the Commissioner of Education in New York (Section 100.5) gives districts the authority to offer career and technical education programs that include work-based learning experiences and work skills employability profiles.