Cheryl M. Lange

Alternative Schools Serving Students With and Without Disabilities: What Are the Current Issues and Challenges?

Abstract The University of Minnesotas Alternative School Research Project, a directed research study funded by the U.S. Department of Educations Office of Special Education Programs, is in the process of conducting research on alternative schools across the country. Special emphasis is given to studying the extent to which and how students with disabilities are being served. Information in this article is a synthesis of data gathered during the 1 st year of this study and is drawn from interviews with state directors of special education, material on alternative education compiled from each state, and other relevant research and literature on alternative education. Critical issues and challenges for alternative educators and administrators are identified and discussed. Issues focus on governance and policies guiding the operation of alternative schools, the purpose of alternative schools, student needs and implications for service, staffing and instruction, maintaining high expectations and high standards, and measuring outcomes and effectiveness. The article contains a list of questions that can be used to help educators identify and address key issues in their alternative settings in order to promote successful school experiences for students with and without disabilities.

Charter Schools and Students with Disabilities Parent Perceptions of Reasons for Transfer and Satisfaction with Services

Currently, charter school laws exist in 30 states, and more than 1,000 charter schools are now in operation (Center for Education Reform, 1998). The rapid increase in the number of charter schools suggests that this educational reform may have the potential to become a major factor in the education of U.S. children. Charter schools are serving a variety of students, and recent studies at the national level show that a sizable proportion of students being served in charter schools have disabilities. Yet few studies address the provision of special education services and whether the needs of students with disabilities are being met. The Enrollment Options Project at the University of Minnesota has been examining the impact of Minnesotas charter schools on students with disabilities. Parents of students with and without disabilities enrolled in Minnesotas charter schools were surveyed to answer questions about their experiences with charter schools. Results from more than 600 respondents who completed the survey are presented in this article. Parents answered questions about reasons for charter school enrollment, perceived changes in their child as a result of attending the charter school, level of satisfaction, level of parent involvement, and special education service availability. In addition, written comments provided by parents are qualitatively analyzed. The article concludes with a discussion of information gathered from parents and implications for further study, examining special education delivery and outcomes for students with disabilities attending charter schools.

School Choice Policies and Practices for Students with Disabilities

A major missing piece in the current debate about school choice is the impact of these policies on students with disabilities. In this article, findings from 6 years of research on implications of school choice for students with disabilities are synthesized. We used multiple methodologies to conduct a set of 12 quantitative and qualitative studies. Participation rates, reasons for transfer, impact on students with disabilities, and school districts were investigated for three of the most popular school choice options. Students with disabilities are participating in school choice options. Their reasons for transfer are often related to special education programs and services. Findings provide needed information for policymakers, educators, parents, and students as states propose, pass, and implement school choice legislation.

The Participation of Students Who are Identified as Gifted and Talented in Minnesota's Open Enrollment Option

The extent to which students who were identified as gifted and talented participating in Minnesotas Open Enrollment Option was investigated. Information was drawn from surveys on 26 students who were identified as gifted and talented and transferred to nonresident schools through Open Enrollment during the 1990–91 school year. Parental involvement in school before and after the transfer, reasons for transferring, and other experiences in exercising the option were studied. The results were compared to those of students without special needs (n=60). Parents of students with special talents moderately increased their involvement at their chosen school. Academic and educational concerns were some of the main reasons that prompted these students to transfer. The most valuable sources of information about the option were the mass media and the school principal. Most parents expressed satisfaction with the option-, yet, many experienced transportation problems. Important applications for these findings were discussed.

A Comparison of Families of Students With and Without Disabilities Who Use Open Enrollment to Transfer Schools

Public school choice is among the strategies identified by national policymakers for improving education by the year 2000 and beyond. Despite the popularity of choice as an educational reform alternative, little is known about how choice operates nationally and what effects it may have in particular areas of the country with particular groups of students. A cross-sectional survey was conducted to identify reasons families chose to change schools and their perceptions of the effects transferring had on school behavior. Responses from families of students with disabilities were compared to responses of a similar group of families of students without disabilities. This work provides a strong foundation for addressing policy concerns related to improving education programs and provides information school personnel and policymakers need as they work to improve the quality of educational services for students with disabilities.