Alternative Schools Part Of The Solution

Kathy Brown’s son Michael Hayes dropped out of Lakeland High School two years ago to pursue a vocational career.

“He just wasn’t interested in the curriculum - it wasn’t challenging enough,” she explained. “He was bored. The courses did not apply to him, and he didn’t understand why he had to be there.”

Today, her son works as a mechanic. His situation is not uncommon in the western United States, which has the highest annual high school dropout rate of any other region in America. The trend in the Lakeland School District, however, is reversing.

Since 1998, the number of students dropping out of Lakeland schools has fallen from roughly 8 percent to about half that rate.

High dropout rates are attributed generally to three factors: a frustration among struggling students who cannot receive the extra help they need, a lack of challenging material for exceptional students, and a need for programs catering to students not planning to attend college.

“The problem is that half of the students are academically inclined and half are vocationally inclined,” said Brown. “The school curriculum is directed mostly toward those students who are academically inclined.

“To lower dropout rates, schools should direct more of their curriculum toward the vocational students. Not all kids intend to go to college,” she said.

John Klingaman, principal at Lakeland’s Mountain View Alternative School in Rathdrum, agreed.

“Most kids who drop out are not college-bound students,” he said. “But vocational programs offer a great experience for those students who are high-risk for dropping out. These programs also give them an opportunity to learn by getting a job outside of school. It is a wonderful chance for these kids.”

In Idaho, 21.5 percent of the population is between 5 and 17 years of age, and keeping students in school is a huge priority. Vocational programs, which provide job-specific skills such as computer, welding and drafting experience, not only contribute to the education of non-college-bound students, but they also make the student more marketable to employers, who often require certification or on-the-job training.

Alternative schools use these hands-on teaching techniques to give students a reason to stay in school.

The Lakeland School District has instituted numerous policies aimed at giving more opportunities to vocational students. Many students have been encouraged to attend Riverbend Technical Academy. The success of dual-enrollment programs and the Mountain View Alternative School also have contributed to the decrease in the drop-out rate.

The alternative school’s positive impact is irrefutable, Klingaman said.

“The alternative school gives students a second chance to try to work out their education - students who would have otherwise become dropouts,” Klingaman said.

Statewide, Idaho dropout rates actually increased between 1998 and 1999 to more than 6 percent, according to the Idaho Education Association. At Lakeland, the dropout rate is about 4 percent.

The larger number of students finishing high school at Lakeland also has affected the average daily attendance within the district. The percentage of students attending school on any given day was 97 percent of the fall enrollment during the first reporting period - the highest it has been in more than five years.

“It’s wonderful,” said Lakeland student Kristen McMullin. “It would be nice to see the decrease in dropouts continue over the course of the next few years.”

Despite Lakeland’s recent success, administrators still strive to further reduce the dropout rate.

This sidebar appeared with the story: TELL US YOUR THOUGHTS

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