HD32 - A Study of Alternative Education in Virginia

  • Published: 1994
  • Author: Department of Education
  • Enabling Authority: House Joint Resolution 619 (Regular Session, 1993)

Executive Summary:
The state Board of Education defines alternative education in Virginia as:

"…learning experiences that offer educational choices which meet the needs of students with varying interests and abilities. Alternative education offers choices in terms of time, location, staffing, and programs. Alternative education may include programs for drop-out prevention, for employment under the regular supervision of designated school personnel, and for the reduction of illiteracy. Regular programs of general, vocational or college preparatory education, and required educational programs for gifted or handicapped students are not programs of alternative education."

The Department of Education's Management Council accepted the proposal submitted by the Division of Program Support to study Alternative Education in Virginia beyond the scope of reviewing the State Board's regulations. The project team for RFP #92-24 - Alternative Education was composed of professional staff, representing regular education, correctional education, detention centers, alternative education, and the Department of Education. The implementation plan delineated five (5) major objectives for the project. A statement of each objective, the findings, and the recommendations follow:

OBJECTIVE 1:

To provide budget recommendations and estimates for Alternative Education at the state and local levels.

Findings from a review of the State Board of Education Regulations, State Survey, and Site Visits:

• The State Board of Education's "Regulations Governing Alternative Education Programs in Virginia" stipulate that "full-time equivalent per pupil cost of the alternative program shall equal or exceed the amount required by the Appropriations Act for students counted in average daily membership" (ADM).

• Data are not available to assess the extent to which the Board of Education's regulation on funding is followed.

• Data are not available to determine how current funding levels for local alternative education programs are derived.

• Data are not available to assess, with accuracy and consistency, the start-up and/or maintenance costs of all alternative education programs in Virginia.

• According to state records, the average per pupil expenditure for regular school operations in 1991-92 was $4,995.

• According to alternative education state survey respondents, the 1991-92 average per pupil expenditure for 85% of the students in alternative education was under $2,000.

On the basis of all information reviewed, the project team makes the following recommendations:

• Local school divisions should be required to demonstrate that programs are funded based on the Virginia Board of Education's "Regulations Governing Alternative Education."

• A study of the costs of alternative education (start-up and maintenance) should be conducted by the Department of Education during the 1994-96 biennium. The study should determine the actual costs to operate these programs. A mechanism to collect and manage funding data should be established.

•State funds should be made available by the General Assembly to enable local school divisions to meet the teacher/pupil ratio of 1:10 (or 1:12 with an aide) that is proposed in this report for alternative education programs in Virginia.

• A model program should be established in each of the eight (8) superintendents study regions to implement the proposed alternative education guidelines that appear in Chapter III, pages 15-18. Each program, determined through competitive proposals, should be funded by the General Assembly at $50,000.

• Approximately $5,000 should be allotted by the General Assembly to establish a stand-alone computer system for the electronic database described in Chapter IV. Alternative Education Technical Assistance, pages 32-33.

OBJECTIVE 2:

To ascertain the status of Alternative Education in the nation and in Virginia.

Findings from the National Survey:

• Of the thirty-five states responding to the Virginia survey, Georgia, Oregon, Hawaii, and New Jersey are in the forefront in providing guidelines, recommendations, and formalized technical assistance to localities.

• Students served in alternative programs include those who are gifted, those with special needs, low achievers, dropouts, truants, and children who are at-risk or who have behavioral problems.

• Obstacles to effective alternative education programs cited most frequently were:

* insufficient funding and space allocations;

* inadequately prepared staff;

* inability of administrators and the public to see the need for alternative education; and

* the unwillingness of administrators, teachers, and communities to adapt traditional classroom operations to accommodate these students in the regular educational environment.

Findings in Virginia from State Survey and Site Visits:

• Accurate figures on the number of students attending alternative education programs were unobtainable because recordkeeping procedures are inconsistent in many local school divisions.

• Programs exist to serve students who are at-risk of dropping out of school, to offer remediation to students whose behavior precludes their attendance in regular classrooms, and to expedite occupational/vocational training.

• Numerous, independent programs serve the population of students who need alternative education. These programs are not coordinated at the state level, fostering duplication of effort and taxing limited state and federal resources.

• The program models most frequently used are school-within-a-school and a separate school program.

• The teacher/pupil ratio is usually 1:15, and it decreases to 1:12 or 1:10 for vocational programs.

• Alternative education programs generally serve students, 13-18 years old.

• In 1991-92, most programs operated on $200,000 or less. The most common range was $50,000 to $100,000, followed closely by programs costing less than $25,000.

• Inadequate funding, staffing, staff certification, and staff development were the obstacles to effective alternative education programs most often cited in the state surveys and site visits.

On the basis of all information reviewed, the project team makes the following recommendations:

• The proposed "Guidelines for Operation of Effective Alternative Education Programs in Virginia" should be adopted by the Board of Education.

• Alternative education programs should be coordinated under the leadership of the Virginia Department of Education to facilitate consistency in program development, implementation, evaluation, and recordkeeping.

• On-going staff development activities should be provided by local school divisions for alternative education teachers and administrators.

• Adequate funding to support and expand alternative education programs should be provided on a shared basis by the state and local school divisions.

• Statewide, standardized data collection and management procedures for alternative education programs should be implemented by the Department of Education.

OBJECTIVE 3:

To review, with an option to change, the State Board of Education's "Regulations Governing Alternative Education" and the revised regulations written in 1991.

Findings from the State Survey and Site Visits:

• Responses concerning new or revised regulations for alternative education ranged from mildly to adamantly opposed, while attitudes toward guidelines ranged from generally favorable to strongly supportive.

• Program personnel felt that self-regulation would increase their flexibility in implementing changes quickly and their ability to take advantage of state and local resources.

On the basis of all information reviewed, the project team makes the following recommendation:

• The current State Board of Education's "Regulations Governing Alternative Education," Authority - Code of Virginia § 22.1-16 and § 22.1-253, 13:1, should be maintained without revision.

OBJECTIVE 4:

To develop guidelines for the operation of alternative education programs.

Findings from the DACUM (Developing a Curriculum) Process, expert consultants, and the Stakeholders' Special Project:

• The DACUM participants, made up of twelve alternative education practitioners in Virginia, developed "A Profile For Effective Alternative Education Programs in Virginia," identifying categories, definitions, and characteristics that describe effective programs.

• The expert consultants reviewed and validated the profile developed by the DACUM process.

• The Stakeholders' Special Project participants used the profile to develop guidelines for planning, implementing, and enhancing alternative education programs in Virginia.

On the basis of all information reviewed, the project team makes the following recommendation:

• The proposed "Guidelines for the Operation of Alternative Education Programs in Virginia," contained in this document, should be adopted by the Board of Education.

OBJECTIVE 5:

To compile a technical assistance package for the development and/or restructuring of alternative education programs.

Findings from the State Survey and Site Visits:

• Currently no formal mechanism exists to provide technical assistance to school divisions that are developing or restructuring alternative education programs in Virginia.

• Coordination, administration, evaluation, and data collection and management procedures for alternative education programs in Virginia are inconsistent.

On the basis of all information reviewed, the project team makes the following recommendations:

• The proposed "Technical Assistance Guide for Alternative Education Programs in Virginia," contained in this document, should be adopted by the Department of Education.

• A mechanism should be established at the Department of Education to facilitate the identification, coordination, administration, evaluation, and data collection and management of alternative education programs in Virginia.