Alternative High Schools: Models for the Future?

A very concise and informative paper explaining how alternative high schools came into being, where they are here, and what the future may hold.

From the abstract:

They're found in crumbling inner city buildings, in strip malls, in old school buildings and within existing schools. They have optimistic sounding names like Capstone, Crossroads and Learning Enterprise. They have varied financial and educational arrangements. And they are popping up all over the landscape, mainly urban but also suburban and rural. What are they? They are small alternative high schools.

Read the entire article here.

For once, blame the student - Yahoo! News

A good story by Patrick Welsh. He's a writer for USA Today who used to write for the Washington Post on school reform:

Failure in the classroom is often tied to lack of funding, poor teachers or
other ills. Here's a thought: Maybe it's the failed work ethic of todays kids.
That's what I'm seeing in my school. Until reformers see this reality, little
will change.

Read the full article here.