Over a year ago, a work group was formed under the leadership of Mrs. Kimberly Buckheit, Specialist School Completion & Alternative Programs for MSDE. This group consisted of several alternative educational professionals along with professionals from MSDE, professionals from the University of Maryland, and even a student from an alternative educational program. This group was task with developing a guiding document for alternative education in Maryland. After numerous meetings and a large amount of discussion, the group produced the original document which was then sent to others at MSDE for review, edits and recommendations. After a thorough review and numerous edits, the document was approved for release to local school districts and also to be shared with folks involved in this great work.
Below is the document for your reading:
Guidance for Best Practices
in Alternative Education in Maryland
(Grades 6-12)
Issue date: October 2019
Background
Alternative education is a nontraditional pathway to support students in accessing the instruction needed to complete graduation requirements. Historically, alternative education has been utilized as a reactive and punitive response to student behavior. The intention of this document is to provide clarity and direction as alternative education shifts to a more proactive and supportive response for students. The range of alternative education program options for students across the state of Maryland varies greatly and therefore guidance in best practices within these settings is beneficial. The importance of these settings in providing adequate supports to meet the needs of Maryland’s most challenged students cannot be understated. A workgroup comprising experts identified by the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) from across the state collaborated during the spring 2019 to define best practices for alternative education.
This document is designed to inform and guide local school systems (LSSs) and alternative education staff serving Maryland students learning in nontraditional classrooms and schools. The following definition of alternative education was developed for the purpose of the workgroup.
Nontraditional, alternative education is broadly defined as intensified practices that are designed to increase a student’s capacity for academic success through:
● Structured opportunities to engage with others as a means of developing the capacity to manage relationships, feel positive about the ability to contribute to the community, and define aspirations for the future.
● A staff-to-student ratio that allows for social-emotional learning through which students and adults understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships, and make responsible decisions. (based on CASEL’s definition, https://casel.org/)
● Instructional, social-emotional, and behavioral approaches that are individualized for each student to ensure academic and behavioral success in and out of school.
● Innovative 21st Century approaches to teaching and learning which provide students with the opportunity to meet graduation requirements, engage in college and career readiness, and participate as productive members of the
communities. (National Alternative Education Association [NAEA] definition, http://the-naea.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/NAEA-Exemplary-Practices-2.0- 2014.pdf)
Common characteristics of alternative settings which support student success are:
● Low student-to-teacher ratio, allowing for individualized support.
● Easy access to mental health and social-emotional support from adults.
● Individualized instructional and behavioral interventions.
● Easy access to drug and alcohol counseling and prevention support.
Environment Conducive to Learning and Growth
The learning and teaching environment in alternative settings requires distinct best practice elements that lead to students and staff feeling respected, safe, and valued despite the student’s personal history and existing obstacles. Students and staff have an active voice in the day-to-day operation of a school with a focus upon equity. The following three areas include distinct practices that create and maintain this type of environment.
I. Routines & Expectations are clear and consistent. They are modeled and communicated respectfully to, with, and about all stakeholders. Expectations for student conduct and learning align with LSS expectations to help facilitate the return of students to a comprehensive school. However, there must always be flexibility within these expectations to meet individual student needs. Students and staff are transparent about the reason why a student is engaged in the alternative setting and work collaboratively to minimize existing barriers to learning.
II. The learning Climate is deliberate and reflects core values that are communicated to and enacted by staff and students. These core values include a high regard for the development and nurturing of positive relationships among all members of the school community. Interactions between staff and students place value on learning from mistakes and embracing a “not there yet” mentality. The climate must be one that allows for immediate responsiveness to the needs of the individual as well as the collective community.
III. Frequent Progress Monitoring of goals occurs in a comprehensive, neutral, and inclusive way. Students are actively engaged in the monitoring of personal growth through specific procedures and data. Students should be given opportunities to share growth with meaningful members in their life during
student-led experiences. Staff engage in continuous assessment methods to inform instructional decisions and student goal setting. Progress should be regularly communicated with all members of the student’s learning circle, including the comprehensive school staff. A continuous improvement model is used for all stakeholders to celebrate successes and set future goals.
Transitions
The transition of students into and out of alternative settings requires specifically defined practices and procedures to ensure staff are prepared to meet student needs, and students are prepared to meet program expectations.
Best Practices for Program Entry: Alternative settings are intended to provide opportunities for students with varying needs. Best practice involves multiple means of entering an alternative setting, which may include student choice, home school referral, and for mandated placement. Each LSS should develop clearly defined criteria for entry into the program and use a committee of varied stakeholders to review, discuss, and make recommendations for entry. A consistent protocol for each type of enrollment should be in place to: 1) ensure all relevant information about the alternative setting is made available to the student, family, and school staff; 2) ensure all pertinent
information related to the student’s success is made available to the alternative education staff; and 3) ensure that the student, family, and school staff know the type of placement, the student’s goals, and the anticipated timeline/exit plan.
Best Practices for Program Exit: While a small number of students will be most successful in an alternative setting for an extended time, the goal for all students should be to increase knowledge and skills that allow them to successfully return to a comprehensive school. Each student transitioning back to a comprehensive school should have an individualized transition plan that closely involves staff from both the comprehensive school and alternative education setting, while also including direct communication between the student and staff in both settings. It is best practice to ensure key stakeholders from the comprehensive school remain in contact with the student for the duration of time in the alternative setting so as to maintain the relationship and connection.
LSSs should consider establishing defined times during the school year as entry and exit windows to maximize the academic and behavioral success of new and existing students, as well as allowing staff to appropriately manage transition procedures. Coinciding with these intervals, the alternative setting should establish smaller time frames to monitor student progress to help inform transition.
Staffing
Staff working in an alternative setting possess unique talents and characteristics. The staff support students in interacting with adults in a way that foster respect for their potential while also providing an individualized experience for each student. It is best practice that staff are hired specifically for the alternative setting.
Characteristics of staff (teachers, leaders, support staff) that successfully meet the unique needs of marginalized students include:
● Patient, non-judgmental, emotionally self-aware, and controlled
● Good communicator
● Culturally aware/sensitive
● Growth mindset and flexible thinker
● Team oriented and resilient
● Knowledgeable about content
● Passionate about working with marginalized youth
Administrators in alternative settings must possess additional characteristics to effectively lead and support students, families, and staff within these highly unique learning environments. These characteristics include:
● Tenacious, visionary, trustworthy, reliable, inspirational, and confident
● Advocate who has earned the respect of students and staff
● Student focused
● Experience working within a variety of settings
● Strong coach
Alternative settings can be an appropriate option for LSSs as they seek to meet the more intensive needs of a smaller subset of students. It is essential that LSSs recognize the importance of placing specially trained student support staff in each alternative setting who are able to meet a wide variety of student needs. Adequate support staff should be available so that students can access assistance when needed. The services provided by a school psychologist, social worker, school counselor, pupil personnel worker, school nurse, and/or substance abuse counselor are the types of specialized supports often required for success in the alternative setting.
It is best practice for staff working with students in an alternative setting to be provided Professional Development that affords an opportunity to implement the instruction and assessment guidelines expected of a general education teacher, as well as meeting the unique social-emotional and behavioral needs of marginalized students. Best practices include using job-embedded approaches from relevant data reviews as well as peer coaching models that allow for the differentiated acquisition of skills by staff. The alternative education classroom includes students with a variety of educational needs who may require extensive differentiation and multiple methods of instructional delivery. It is best practice for professional development to be well planned and purposeful, with focused attention on topics such as trauma, restorative approaches, equity, cultural proficiency, wellness, and personal health (of both students and staff).
Collaboration with Stakeholders
The varied needs of students in an alternative setting make it necessary for the adults to collaborate with one another in ways that facilitate the integration of support. Parents and adults of importance in the student’s life should be provided multiple opportunities
to celebrate successes and collaborate in goal setting for future success. Barriers to adult participation, such as transportation or childcare, should be mitigated as much as possible by school officials.
Alternative education staff should remain aware of, and develop partnerships with, local resources so that students can access services during and outside the school day. Services, activities, and/or resources offered by or through, for example, local care teams, local management boards, local police officials, state agencies, and
community-based mental health professionals are all important connections. Staff should be ever mindful of changing student needs within a school year, and from one year to the next, and seek to build new community partnerships that address these specific needs. The use of an alternative education advisory board should be considered as a best practice for assisting staff in seeking and obtaining community resources. This board can also advocate for the unique needs of alternative education to school officials and the broader community.
Alternative education staff are a resource for comprehensive school staff and community members as they seek to better understand the complexity of supports
required for marginalized students to succeed. This collaboration builds the capacity for students to be successful in multiple settings prior to and after graduation from high school. Ongoing collaboration with individuals at the comprehensive school in support
of the instructional and behavioral needs of students helps facilitate future success as these students prepare to return to the comprehensive school.
Instruction and Assessment
High quality instruction and assessment practices are essential for students in alternative settings. Students in alternative settings often have learning gaps that can impact behavior and prompt a student’s view of themselves as a struggling learner.
Project-based and inquiry-based learning activities that are hands-on and allow
students to make connections between content knowledge and real-life experiences are recommended as a frequent practice in the alternative learning environment. Acquiring knowledge through inquiry provides valuable motivation for students who may have become disengaged from the learning process. In addition, it is best practice for staff to encourage students to seek leadership opportunities and demonstrate their knowledge and skills by providing a service to others in need. These moments provide authentic feedback to students and enhance personal growth. Instruction should be personalized to respond to the student’s specific needs and provide for flexible instructional practices that consider the time of day, where learning happens, and the learning methodology. Best practices indicate that procedures that allow for blended scheduling between the comprehensive and alternative learning environments are more effective in facilitating successful transitions and increasing the student’s ability to access curricular options.
Monitoring progress toward the achievement of behavioral, social-emotional, and academic goals should occur at a high frequency in the alternative setting. Assessment should be used as a source of data that is ongoing and occurs in “real time,” informing next steps for staff, the student, and the student’s family. Engaging in purposeful assessments upon transition to and from the setting can serve to better inform a high quality personalized learning plan. Personalized information about the student’s current level of performance, credits obtained to date, learning strengths and gaps, and career aptitudes should be gathered and packaged in a way that allows the student to transition smoothly into any classroom or other learning environment.
References/Resources
I. Alternative Education
National Alternative Education Association (NAEA) exemplary practices:
http://the-naea.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/NAEA-Exemplary-Practices-2.0-2014.p df
Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL): https://casel.org/
II. Environment Conducive to Learning and Growth Growth mindset: https://www.mindsetworks.com/science/
Dweck, C. S. (2006). Mindset: The new psychology of success. New York, NY: Random House Books.
Student-led conferencing:
https://www.edutopia.org/practice/student-led-meetings-empowering-student-voice
III. Staffing and Professional Development Staff wellness, the Self-Care Wheel:
http://createresiliency.org/sites/default/files/files/Self-Care%20Wheel_Assessment.pdf
Job-embedded professional development:
https://learningforward.org/wp-content/uploads/2017/08/job-embedded-professional-dev elopment.pdf
IV. Collaboration with Stakeholders
Maryland Governor's Office for Children, Local Care Team Coordinator contacts by county: https://goc.maryland.gov/lct-directory/
V. Instruction and Assessment
Project-based learning: https://www.pblworks.org/what-is-pbl
Inquiry-based learning: http://www.inquirybasedlearning.org/
Berger, W. (2014). A more beautiful question: The power of inquiry to spark breakthrough ideas. Berryville, VA: Berryville Graphics Inc.
Formative Assessment
Wiliam, D., & Leahy, S. (2015). Embedding formative assessment: Practical techniques for K-12 classrooms. West Palm Beach, FL: Learning Sciences International.
Work Group Members
Mrs. Kimberly Buckheit, Specialist School Completion & Alternative Programs Maryland State Department of Education
Mrs. Denise Childers, Virtual Academy Teacher Charles County Public Schools
Mr. James Fazzino, Supervisor eLearning Baltimore County Public Schools
Mr. Brad Engel, Director Student Services (2018-2019 school year) Queen Anne’s County Public Schools
Dr. Peter Leone, Professor of Special Education University of Maryland, College Park
Mr. D. Tim Morrow, Coordinator Antietam Academy Washington County Public Schools
Regional President, National Alternative Education Association
Mrs. Kelley Morris-Springston, Director School Climate & Safety Wicomico County Public Schools
Mrs. Kim Muniz, Supervisor of Student Services & Special Programs Carroll County Public Schools
Ms. Laurie Namey, Supervisor of Equity and Cultural Proficiency (2018-2019 school year) Harford County Public Schools
Ms. Lindsay Owens, Transition Specialist Mary Moss Academy Anne Arundel County Public Schools
Mr. Dylan Payne, Graduate Antietam Academy Washington County Public Schools
Mrs. Elizabeth Stiffler, Principal Heather Ridge School Frederick County Public Schools
Mrs. Kami Wagner, Coordinator Student Support Programs Howard County Public Schools
Mr. Curry Werkheiser, Principal Robert E. Stetham Education Center Charles County Public Schools
Mr. Bryan Wetzel, Principal Gateway/Crossroads School Carroll County Public Schools
Ms. Doncella Wilson LMSW, Systems of Care Coordinator Kent County Local Management Board
Adhoc Members:
Dr. Marone Brown, Lead Specialist for School Safety Maryland State Department of Education
Ms. Djuna Craig, Resource Teacher for Student Support Programs Howard County Public Schools
Ms. Paula Gonce, Access, Equity & Progress Specialist Maryland State Department of Education
Mr. Kevin Kintop, Program Administrator ARISE Academy Queen Anne’s County Public Schools
Mr. Andrew Turner, Training Administrator Prevention & Intervention Maryland Center for School Safety
