An earlier column described alternative schools and our district’s need for one.

Alternative schools’ advocates believe traditional schools are failing some of their students. It’s not the students who are failing in those schools.

Alternative schools address the individual needs of their students. They are schools students and their teachers want to attend.

Schools with little or no graffiti, violence, absenteeism or bullying.

Schools where students feel safe and learning takes place.

The best of them are among America’s most exciting educational success stories.

Why limit their accomplishments? What can traditional high schools borrow from them to the benefit of all?

There are some things alternative schools do that we couldn’t or wouldn’t want to do in our high schools. Some we’d like to do but can’t afford.

Other things we’re already doing.

Fortunately, our teachers are perfectly capable of evaluating which of the alternative schools’ qualities are worth borrowing.

Here are some of those qualities. Some cost money, many don’t.

Smaller school size. Alternative schools’ lower enrollments are central to their success. The buildings are more manageable for students and teachers. The Carnegie Task Force, Coalition of Essential Schools, National Association of Secondary School Principals, and former Secretary of Education Richard Riley agree. Most recommend high schools under 600.

How could our district’s two 1500-student high schools do that? Easy. It’s called “schools within schools.” Something being done all across America.

A wing of a building has its own identity. Its 400 students are better known to each other and their teachers than in a school of 1500. That’s for the academics. Competitive sports and extracurricular activities still draw on all four "schools."

Smaller classes. Alternative schools’ teachers tend to have smaller classes. Unlike smaller building enrollments, this one costs money.

But there are low-cost options for traditional high schools as well. When we use team teaching, block scheduling, job shadowing, independent learning, and other options we create a mix of changing class sizes. Some are larger so others can be smaller.

Choice and shared vision. Teachers, parents and students want to be in the alternative school they’ve chosen. A consumer-driven process replaces arbitrary rules and an inflexible curriculum. Stakeholders cooperate in creating a shared vision. They enjoy a greater measure of local autonomy, including budgets and curriculum.

As a result students try harder. The school really is theirs.

We do some of this with site-based councils, PTO/PTAs and student councils. Could we do more?
 
Needs-based diversity. Diverse learning styles are accommodated. Some schools open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 10:30 p.m. There’s daycare for students with children.
 
Real learning. Alternative schools demand high-quality work from their students – and they get it. No more low expectations. Getting by with a “D” average isn’t an option. Credit is earned for performance, for “exhibition of mastery,” not seat time. Portfolios may replace grades.

And students are not just absorbing education.

They are contributing community service, working with seniors or tutoring students.
 
Relevance. Why do the students want to learn? Because each student’s curriculum is relevant to his or her learning style, aptitudes and future career. They’re not asking, “Why do we have to learn this?” They know. Job shadowing and apprenticeships give urgency and relevance to their real-world curriculum.

Relationships. Most teachers love teaching and care about their students.

But the alternative schools’ smaller enrollments and class sizes, and teachers and students who want to be there, make the caring easier and the relationships richer. Teachers may make regular home visits to students’ parents.

Traditional schools’ teachers may be too overburdened to take on mentoring. But we might provide a mentor for each student from adult volunteers or college students.

We need an alternative high school. But we also need to learn from the best of them how we can modify our traditional high schools as well.

Nicholas Johnson is an Iowa City School Board member. More information is available on his Web site www.nicholasjohnson.org.