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Addressing the Need for an Alternative Education Collaborative in Nonmetropolitan School Districts
Abstract
Through both federal and state educational legislation, there have been efforts to increase the accountability of schools in meeting the educational needs of all students and increasing the nation's graduation rates. States and districts across the nation have responded differently to these laws. As one pattern, there has been a rise in alternative schools and programs developed to address the educational needs of students who have not been having success with the traditional school model. Even as alternative schooling becomes more common, there is limited guidance in establishing these programs and limited professional development designed specifically for those teaching or leading alternative programs. For me, that is not just an abstract problem, I coordinate an alternative program in a rural Nebraska district and I must make decisions and lead processes that best serve the students who come our way. I also interact with other alternative educators who struggle with the same dearth of guidance and research on our educational situations. This dissertation study examined the current alternative programs in one region of Nebraska to inform of the design of a collaborative networking system that is able to share resources and expertise, generate meaningful inquiry and promote the growth and development of improved alternative programs. Data were collected through a survey of key players in local alternative education programs (n=14) and follow-up semi-structured interviews from four of the survey participants were conducted. Findings from the ethnographically-informed design study recognized differences and similarities amongst alternative programs as well as strengths and areas for growth. While this document is an obvious outcome of this dissertation research, so too is the still-incipient network of alternative educators who helped with this inquiry.
Subject Area
Secondary education|Education Policy|Educational leadership
Recommended Citation
Pettit, Trina, "Addressing the Need for an Alternative Education Collaborative in Nonmetropolitan School Districts" (2020). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI27836623.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI27836623