Youth in Alternative Learning Settings

School Context and Climate:

Perceptions, Behaviors and Experiences

MSS in Alternative Learning Settings

• Participation includes all ALC/ALP students in grades 7 through 12– Students who are dual enrolled participate only once

• Secondary Survey Instrument

MSS Alternative Learning Settings Report• Matched sample by age, gender and

race/ethnicity• Includes the following topics:

– Family Characteristics and Experiences– School Context and Climate– Out of School Time Activities and Community– Health Behaviors– Mental Health– Victimization– Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug use– Other Risk Behaviors– Sexual Activity

Who participated: Gender

Who participated: Age

Who participated: Race and ethnicity3.8%

17.3%

11.2%

4.4%

51.3%

12.0%

American Indian

African American

Hispanic-Latino

Asian American

White

Mixed race

Who participated: Ever had an IEP

Who participated: Free/Reduced price lunch

School Context and Climate

• Feelings towards school• Teacher’s interest and respect• Post-secondary school plans• Grades• Truancy, attendance and mobility• School climate and perceptions of safety• Victimization• Bullying experiences• Weapons at school

Feelings towards school

Teachers are interested in you as a person

Teachers show respect for students

Post-secondary school plans

Receive the following grades most often

Skipped a full day of school in the last 30 days

Did not go to school because felt unsafe in the last 30 days

Number of times changed schools since the beginning of this school year

Students are friendly

Students behave well in the hallways and lunchrooms

Students have made fun of or threatened students of different races or backgrounds

I feel safe going to and from school

I feel safe at school

Bathrooms in the school are a safe place to be

Illegal gang activity is a problem at this school

Student alcohol or drug use is a problem at this school

Physical victimization at school in the last 12 months

Sexual victimization at school in the last 12 months

Property stolen or damaged at school in the last 12 months

Bullying experiences: Weekly or more in the last 30 days

Carried a weapon at school in the last 30 days

Conclusions

• Overall students in alternative learning settings report similar experiences to their mainstream peers, such as feeling safe at school and having plans to go to college.

• Students in alternative learning settings:

– Witness less racial harassment of their peers

– Experience less physical and sexual victimization at school

– Report being truant in the previous month or having changed schools in the previous year more often than their peers

• These indicators show that the alternative learning settings have succeeded at creating a more positive school climate and have potential lessons that could applied to youth in the traditional public schools.