EED Website State of Alaska

The Department of Education & Early Development (EED) launched an Alternative Schools Healthy Students Initiative in the fall of 2008. This five-year initiative was created with the goal of reducing the student risk behaviors associated with disease, premature death, social challenges, and poor academic outcomes. It includes all Alaskan Alternative Schools (defined as serving high-risk students) accepting EED’s invitation to participate. The need for this initiative was identified by a review of National and State data which indicate that students in Alternative School settings are disproportionately affected by heightened levels of risk behaviors. Comparisons of risk behavior reported by students in Alternative Schools to students in Traditional Schools (see below) provide compelling evidence that targeting Alternative Schools is an efficient, focused, and strategic way to support many of Alaska’s most at-risk students. See Site Highlights and Membership.

In the summer of 2011 EED received a 3-year grant award from the Alaska Department of Health and Social Services, Division of Behavioral Health to enhance behavioral health promotion, prevention and early intervention services related to substance use and abuse, suicide, mental health/wellness, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, resiliency and connectedness, and promotion of community, family, and individual wellness. EED will utilize this grant to improve a broad range of applicable health-enhancing activities, programs, and services to alternative school students. This new initiative, Promoting Healthy Schools and Community Partnerships, includes 14 of the 15 sites currently involved in the Alternative Schools Healthy Students Initiative. While the Promoting Healthy Schools and Community Partnerships Initiative shares the goal of improving student health with the Alternative Schools Healthy Students Initiative, it distinguishes itself from the school-focused Alternative Schools Healthy Students Initiative by its emphasis on building and utilizing community-wide partnerships. Over the 2011-2012 school year these two alternative school initiatives will be merged. See Site Highlights and Membership.

Initiative Highlights (2008-2011)

• Successful completion of the 2009 Alternative Schools Health Education Profiles
• Successful completion of the 2009 and 2011 Statewide Alternative Schools Youth Risk Behavior Surveys
• Positive outcomes for many sites – increased school connectedness, increased graduations, increased academic achievement

Schools Involved in Year 4 (2011-2012)

 

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Site-level Highlights of Efforts and Accomplishments to Date

American Charter Academy

American Charter Academy reports declines in youth risk behaviors, increases in professional development on health topics for staff, increases in the number of students participating in healthy activities, and increases in the numbers of students meeting health/safety goals in their ILPs. Alt. Schools Initiative supported activities that contributed to these accomplishments included life coach support for students challenged by issues like homelessness, a nurse available to address student health needs, and the completion of a pilot of the Fourth R curriculum. In the 2010-2011 school year American Charter Academy significantly improved both its attendance and graduation rates, received professional development on the Fourth R, and conducted its first student Health Fair.

Avail School

Avail reported increases in graduation rates, attendance rates, and number of credits obtained by its students.  Highlights of the Alt. School Initiative sponsored activities included the implementation of Stop That (smoking cessation program) as well as progress toward implementing the Fourth R (healthy relationships program). In the 2010-2011 school year Avail reported providing two innovative classes with an emphasis on improving interpersonal communication/relationship skills and healthy lifestyles, delivering a diverse collection of school-wide activities to its students, most of which promoted physical activity as well as receiving professional development via attendance at the National Alternative School Conference. 

Bethel Alternative High School

BABS reported increases in the numbers of health/PE course offerings as the primary impact of its involvement in the Alt. Schools Initiative. Heavy utilization of Wii Fit by students as an essential part of its students’ acquisition of PE credits and a multi-tiered approach with students to reduce teen pregnancy were implemented in the 2009-2010 school year. Additionally, plans to collaborate with Public Health Nursing to provide critical health information to students and staff are in place for the 2011 school year. In the 2010-2011 school year BABS reported implementing the Why Try program and experiencing great success with it. Student surveys indicated many students identified the Why Try program as significantly contributing to their decisions to stay in school.

Burchell High School

Burchell reported increases in graduation rates, increases in attendance rates, increases of credits obtained each year, declines in student reported risk behaviors, increases in professional development opportunities in health offered to staff, and an increase in the number of students participating in healthy activities as impacts related to its involvement in the Initiative. Funded Alt. Schools Healthy Students Initiative highlights at Burchell included the work conducted by its Life Coach.  This position assisted with the delivery of 2 health classes per quarter which effectively doubled the number of health courses previously offered.  Not only did the Life Coach integrate its chosen School Level Impact Measure (SLIM) material into the health classes offered, but also provided professional development to Burchell High School staff thereby fulfilling its Professional Development SLIM. Burchell’s plans for next year include increased services to homeless students, launching an onsite recovery support group, and training a peer helper group to present on healthy relationships. In the 2010-2011 school year Burchell reported utilizing the Fourth R curriculum, providing 100% of staff with professional development on awareness for drugs, alcohol, and mental health, and continued success in improving student health and academic success through its utilization of a Life Coach.

Continuation School

Continuation reported an enhanced student referral process, increases in credits earned in Health and PE, increases in student participation as reflected by increased credits earned, and increases in its program planning/review process as outcomes linked to its involvement in the Alt. Schools Initiative. Highlights of Continuation's accomplishments include more support for students and their families both entering and exiting the Continuation program, the creation of a PE for credit course, online PE and Health courses, training and development of an implementation plan for the Why Try curriculum. In the 2010-2011 school year Continuation reported updating and aligning its health curriculum, increasing health class offerings via distance delivery and an extended school year, and a significant increase in the percentage of students completing Health/PE courses during the school year.

Crossroads School

Crossroads reported an increase in graduation rate, an increase in attendance rate, and an increase in the number of credits obtained each year as outcomes tied to its involvement in the Alt. Schools Initiative. Highlights of Crossroads’ efforts include improved PE/PA for students with 55% of all students earning ½ PE credit in the 2009-2010 school year. A discontinued Food/Nutrition course was also able to be resurrected and an online maternity health course was developed and made available for district-wide use. In the 2010-2011 school year Crossroads provided a collection of health enhancing classes on life skills, healthy cooking, relationship skill building, and personal fitness that were very popular with students

Kenai Alternative High School

Kenai Alternative High School identified increases in the graduation rate and increases in attendance rates as the gains tied to its involvement in the Alt. Schools initiative. Kenai reported administering a seven-week class on nutrition, conducting a “Quit Tobacco” cessation program, and implementing a PE program it credits as a major contributor to graduating the most students ever in its 20-year history. In the 2010-2011 school year, Kenai provided two Healthy Choices/Changes classes covering essential health topics ranging from STD/HIV prevention to healthy cooking/eating.

Kiita Alternative High School

Kiita reported an updated health curriculum as its most recent accomplishment stemming from nvolvement in the Initiative; Kiita is now implementing the evidence-based 4th R Curriculum. Kiita also reports offering enhanced physical education to its students through the integration of PE materials/equipment acquired through the initiative.

Mat-Su Central School

Mat-Su Central completed its first year of participation in the initiative during the 2010-2011 school year. The school reported realizing significant gains in graduation rates, increases in number of credits earned, and an increase in the number of Health/PE classes provided as outcomes tied to its participation. Mat-Su Central offered a Possibilities class to its students with grant funding that not only possessed a Human Relations curriculum, but was bolstered by Career Planning, Healthy Lifestyle/Choices, and student wellness components. Instruction was provided by both a professional guidance counselor and a LPC high school human relations instructor.

Mat-Su Day School

Mat-Su Day completed its first year of participation in the initiative during the 2010-2011 school year. Mat-Su Day reported purchasing materials to assist their therapists and behavior specialists in working with some of their high-risk students, utilizing funds for professional development (attending National Alternative Schools Conference), and purchasing PE equipment/passes to athletic clubs to provide physical activity opportunities as the school does not have a gymnasium. 

Pacific High School

Pacific reports increases in attendance rates, increases in the number of credits earned each year, increases in the number of Health/PE class offerings, increases in the professional development opportunities in health made available to staff, and increases in teachers’ reported comfort level with teaching health curriculum as outcomes related to their involvement in the Alt. Schools Initiative. Highlights from Pacific’s efforts include the provision of a Parenting Support program that helped parenting teens stay in school and connected them to vital community support services like public health, TANF, and Daycare Assistance, completion of a Sitka-wide sexuality education training (“Too Hot to Handle” curriculum), 2 health classes being offered, and a collection of health and safety enhancing innovative outdoor classes were also conducted. Pacific High’s Health Teacher received training on the Fourth R curriculum and will be teaching it next year. In the 2010-2011 school year Pacific High School conducted a Psych 101 class led by a licensed psychologist, acquired the evidence-based Why Try curriculum for implementation in 2011-2012, provided teen parenting support, acquired PE equipment, conducted a broad spectrum of health enhancing high interest physical activities, and strengthened student transportation services to bolster attendance.

Revilla High School

Revilla reported increased graduation rate, increased attendance rate, and an updated health curriculum as its primary outcomes fueled by its participation in the Alt. Schools Initiative.  Key activities that contributed to these successes were the work of a truancy monitor who kept struggling kids engaged in the educational system and a major revision to the content and materials of their mandated health class. The updated course will be available to students in September. In the 2010-2011 school year Revilla High School delivered a new required health course as well as a new Career Exploration class, offered students First Aid/CPR instruction complete with certification, and utilized an “Ombudsman” position to connect students to social services.

S.A.V.E  High School

SAVE identified increases in its graduation and attendance rates, increases in number of credits obtained, decreases in youth risk behaviors, and increases in professional development, curriculum development, and course offerings on health some of the achievements it has attained related to its involvement in the Alt. Schools Initiative. Highlights of SAVE’s activities included the development of a year-long health program, a first ever Alaska Health Fair for students complete with defrayed costs for those choosing to have blood work, strengthening of its PE program through equipment purchases, and improved collaboration/information sharing with other Alternative Schools through site visits. In the 2010—2011 school year S.A.V.E. also provided staff with Health Education professional development, provided a First Aid/CPR class, and noted increases in graduation rate, increased attendance, and fewer teen pregnancies.

Valley Pathways

Valley Pathways indicated gains in attendance rates, graduation rates, and in the number of credits earned each year, as well as increases in the number of health/PE classes offered and the number of students participating in healthy activities as the primary successes it linked to its involvement in the Alt. Schools Initiative. Valley Pathways’ PE efforts were particularly successful with participants’ attendance increasing from 83% to 96% after they began participating in the program.  PE credits increased 25% from the previous year, and the program has been a tremendous incentive for students to maintain good academic standing.  Valley Pathways has also begun preparation to develop and offer a comprehensive PE/Health curriculum for the 2010-2011 school year. In the 2010-2011 school year Valley Pathways was able to obtain a certified Health Teacher to teach health class, implement a “Healthy Foods Reward System”, and continue to grow its tremendously popular innovative partnership with a community Sports Complex to increase both student physical activity and number of PE credits earned. These offerings have contributed a decrease in student disciplinary incidents and an increase in student attendance.

Yaakoosge Daakahidi Alternative High School

Yaakoosge Daakahidi completed its first year of participation in the initiative during the 2010-2011 school year. Yaakoosge reported instituting a community partnership with the Juneau Police Department to obtain bikes for student use to increase student physical activity, provision of professional development to 4 teachers and the principal in which the team conducted site visits and program reviews at other alternative schools, and implementation of BrainPaint, a neurofeedback system. Students participating in BrainPaint have experienced increase attendance rates, increases in credits earned and in course completion, and declines student disruptive and discipline behaviors.

Data

The following documents contain the analysis of the 2009 Alaska Youth Risk Behavior Survey results for Alternative Schools:

• 2009 Alaska YRBS Alternative School Fact Sheet
• 2009 Alaska YRBS Alternative School Results
• Comparison of Alaska YRBS Traditional High School Results to the Alternative High School Results

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For more information or if you have any questions, please contact us:

Terri Campbell, Education Specialist
Telephone: (907) 465-8719

Todd Brocious, Education Specialist
Telephone: (907) 465-2887

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