Alternative Education Schools and Programs

Higher education in America is facing many challenges, i.e., low retention, low graduation rates and less funding. Postsecondary institutions are scrambling to remain a competitive entity within society. In order to do so, students must remain in school (Talbert, 2012). The Office of the White House states (2014), educational attainment is critical to our county’s economic success. In essence, the work force is creating more jobs requiring more education and a higher level of skill than was previously achieved. Individuals with only a high school diploma will not make into the middle class sector because of

Journal One in The Alternative by Galen Leonhardy, tells the story of a teacher who helps open an alternative school in Kozol Creek, Idaho, and the struggles he faces in attempting to implement a collaborative education process. The author writes of teachers who let students run free through the halls or simply ignored kids because they did not know how to handle them. He also writes of teachers who strive for a more personalized education by learning who their students are and understanding the environment from which they come. I have also dealt with both kinds of teachers in my educational experience, as I was a student of an alternative school. Mr. Lamar, to me, represents what a teacher should be. His personal dedication to making a difference in students’ lives and his willingness to go the extra mile by empowering students to take responsibility for their education changed how I perceived my own education. Mrs. Patton, on the other hand, is a teacher I would much rather forget. Her militarized style of teaching made learning an afterthought to the daily complications we encountered in the classroom. Both Mr. Lamar and Mrs. Patton taught me the importance of being included in your own education.

A college degree is a valuable asset that could ultimately lead to a productive life in society due to the received education, but people without a college degree do turn out more than adequate in regards to societal success. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, of the forecasted 30 fastest growing jobs between 2010 and 2020, five do not require a high school diploma, nine require a high school diploma, four require an associate 's degree, six require a bachelor 's degree, and six require graduate degrees to get the jobs (College). In an article called “College Education” by ProCon.org,

One benefit is that there are more job opportunities for people with a college degree. Randy Tucker of Journal News reveals that of the unemployed people in Ohio, 59 percent had no more than, or never received a high school diploma and 13 percent have a college degree. That means that there are over twice as many people unemployed with no college education than those who have a college degree. Randy Tucker also expressed that in 2010, 20

“What’s the key to success in the United States?”(Steinberg,2010), author Jacques Steinberg starts off his article “Plan B: Skip College” with a powerful question that has been asked by many Americans. Majority of Americans first thoughts would be higher education. The ideology that obtaining a degree is the best and sometimes only way to be successful in the American economy. This has been instilled in numerous children growing up. Steinberg states “perhaps no more than half of who began a four-year bachelor's degree program in the fall of 2006 will get that degree within six years according to the department of education”(Steinberg,2010). Students who tend to not excel in high school often take longer, or at times finish a higher education at all. These

Even with the fact stated earlier that about how many college graduates work in fields that don’t require a degree, more and more jobs are requiring a college degree even to the associates degree level. Though they can argue how the number of jobs requiring a college degree fell by 1.75 million, the number of jobs that require a high school diploma fell 5.56 million. Thus proving that having a college degree could provide more job security compared to their counterparts who don’t. Along with that is how many

In today's society, it is more difficult to get a job without having an education. McClellan talks about two different people in his essay, Voss and Galipeau, who were guaranteed a job with their company. When their company moved over seas they had to find new jobs. Voss had to get a college education to be able to get another job, and even with her college education she found it difficult. When she finally found a job, the job only paid $12.47 an hour, compared to her original job that paid $27 an hour. Galipeau had to take a part time job somewhere because he was too old to be starting a new career (McClellan 552-553). This is a perfect example as to how even with a company having promised them a solid job, more education was needed just to find another job that paid less. Additionally, even the jobs that require nothing more than a high school education do not pay well. There are also very few jobs that a person can get without additional education past high school. Those who don't even have a diploma may have an even harder time finding a job. According to the United States Department of Labor, "In May 2013, about 27 percent of all U.S. jobs were in occupations that typically require less education than a high school diploma for entry. These

In the 1980-90’s, a college graduates earnings were drastically higher than those with just a high school degree (Bernstein 1). While having a college degree of some sort makes getting a job in the real world easier, the quality of the job is what is coming into question. The amount of jobs available for both high school and college graduates will always be enough, but if the quality of the jobs decreases then the poverty class will increase (Bernstein 3). This struggle to find quality jobs with just a high school or even a college diploma could result in a spike in homelessness and even more money needed from the government. The unemployment rate in the U.S. will never be zero percent, and that means there will never be someone that is not homeless.

2. What is the unemployment rate of those with a college degree compared to those with just a high school diploma?

Receiving a higher level of education allows individuals to gain a certain level of knowledge, values, and skills that they can bring to their everyday life, therefore lacking this education will put them at a disadvantage when looking for a job. 37.9% of Texans have a higher education degree between the ages of 25 and 34, ranking Texas the 39th state when it comes to higher education attainment. 89.0% of individuals have a high school diploma making Texas the 4th state in terms of high school graduation. Comparing higher education and high school graduates shows higher education is lower than high school graduates, therefore, it is likely for individuals to fall under the poverty line. High school education provides basic skills while in a higher education environment you enhance the skills and knowledge to secure a job. Individuals sometimes do not attend a university due to their high tuition rates, thus are not able to obtain a bachelor’s degree. A solution to decreasing poverty is to lower tuition rates so individuals can get a degree and therefore obtain a secure

Earning a diploma, a degree or even a trade can significantly affect one's future financial status. An education-or lack thereof- can mean the difference between being poverty stricken or financially stable. College graduates earn an average of 66 percent more than non graduates and often enjoy additional benefits, including greater job opportunities and promotions.(Source: study.org) However,  according to spotlightonpoverty.org, 69 percent of students graduate from college on time, yet many graduate without the skills needed for college or work. Without an education chances of obtaining a decent paying job is slim, which can result in a life of impoverishment. "Policymakers and education leaders must implement strategies to reduce the high school dropout rate and adequately prepare high school students for college, while providing low income students with the support they need to attain a degree or credential."

It is assumed that if you are poor then you will not receive a form of higher education. It is even more realistic that when this is the case lack of education impairs your chances of gaining ground beyond that of poverty. About 34% of unemployed people never got a high school diploma compared to the 6% of unemployed people who have attained a bachelor's degree (U.S. Census Bureau). These unemployed individuals never got the education needed to hold a middle-class worthy job so they live in poverty. This chart below demonstrates how education increases chances of employment, allowing an income that may keep you above poverty level.

In addition, high school dropouts have caused many hardships that negatively affect the American economy. Individuals, who have not received high school credentials, live such experiences as poverty, unemployment, teenage parenthood, and criminal activity (Esch, 2003). For example, without the minimum of a high school diploma, individuals are susceptible to a cycle of poverty (AYPF, 2006). Esch (2003) explained that in any given year, the likelihood of slipping into poverty is about three times higher for high school dropouts than for those who finish high school. He mentioned that high school dropouts lack many skills to be hired for decent jobs; therefore, students are more susceptible to be dependent on the public assistance. Researchers revealed that if one third of high school dropouts were to remain in school and earn a diploma, the federal government would save almost 11 billion annually from reducing funds needed for food stamps, housing

     Chapter two describes the general education reform movement that has resulted in enhanced curriculum for all students. There has been a separate reform movement in special education that has also resulted in restructuring student placement and service delivery systems for these students. Most recently, the two reform movements are beginning to converge. The general education reform was started when a national commission report, A Nation at Risk, recommended educational improvements because U.S. students did not compare favorably in testing results with their counterparts in Japan and Germany. This has resulted in local school districts taking more direct responsibility for decision-making that would affect all students and has included a stronger parent role in advocating for change. Along with this type of school reform, there has been a focus on schools providing comprehensive services for students and families that face multiple hurdles so that families can have their needs met for social, mental and public health services and coordinated in a single point of entry- the school.

Out of all of the high school graduates in the country, there are 31.4% of high school graduates that do not attend college. Students who do not attend college directly out of high school will struggle to learn the