Choosing an Alternative High School: Is it the Solution to Your Child’s Success?

If traditional high school isn’t working for your child, choosing the right alternative school can be the solution they need to graduate.

Is your child’s high school failing them? Would you love to homeschool, but don’t have the time or skill?  Where can your child earn the high school diploma that is so important for their future educational and professional success?

Changing a Student’s Educational Environment Makes a Significant Difference

The traditional high school is not working for your student. Maybe some life circumstances disrupted the learner’s education. For many girls, bullying, sexual harassment, or pregnancy can spell the end of an academic career. For boys, there are behavioral problems and run-ins with the law.

Some parents turn to standard private schools. Frequently, these educational platforms offer rigorous academics. However, there are drawbacks. The long list of rules and regulations makes it difficult for a newcomer to fit in. This is particularly true if the child already has behavioral issues.

Sending the child to other public schools changes the environment somewhat. However, it fails to address the problems that are frequently endemic at the district level. If your child needs additional attention and care, s/he may not receive it. Merely changing the address of the educational model is not enough to effect lasting change in your child’s grades or ability to keep up.

Pros and Cons of Alternative High Schools

There is another option. Alternative school attendance can be the answer when a private school is not a workable solution, and another public school does not offer change. In this model, you frequently have the opportunity to integrate online education in the comfort of your home to help the child succeed.

Other advantages include the customization of the educational setting for the individual learner:

• Brick and mortar venue:

  An alternative school is a real building with instructors and staff members. It is not an online venue with a post office box. Even so, there are online learning opportunities.

• High school completion:

  The educational model supports the student’s desire to earn a high school diploma. Classes and instructional interactions focus on this goal.

• Smaller class sizes:

  Many times, students want to drop out of school because class sizes are overwhelming, and the learner experiences extreme frustration with the teaching process. Disruptive behaviors develop. In a smaller class setting, the individual feels heard. It is easy to ask questions and get the answers needed to progress.

Of course, there are some drawbacks to attending alternative high schools, too. For starters, do your due diligence to ensure that you send your student to an accredited institution. Unless the school is listed with the Department of Education in the state it is located as well as being listed with the U.S. Department of Educations’ NCES office, you may run into problems. Another requirement is accreditation.

Secondly, pinpoint what your student needs help with. For some, there are behavioral problems that set them back. Others are struggling to keep up with peers after an illness. Your child has unique situations that call for pinpointed solutions. Unless you work with instructors who prove that they can meet your student’s needs, an alternative school may not offer the help you hope for.

If the family later decides that the student will return to the school district, they will be ready to step into a classroom. Continuing the learning process in this way is meaningful and allows for future successes. The dropout prevention school program Miami administrators talk about also personalizes online learning. Students on track for early college enrollment appreciate this option.

Sending Your Child Off to an Alternative School

You’ve done your research. You realize that traditional schools are not working well for your child. Because you have looked over the pros and cons of an alternative education, you understand which option is best for your learner. For most parents, the answer is the alternative high school setting.

Before your child begins attending an alternative school, you will meet with administrators to discuss the best way to help her or him. Which alternative programs will make the difference? Typically, there is a broad range of education program options to choose from.

• Traditional classroom learning:

  For the student who thrives on social interaction, there are traditional classes at the facility. This classroom model is ideally suited for someone whose education got interrupted due to health issues.

• Virtual and blended learning:

  Some students like the freedom that a virtual classroom provides. It is an excellent option for summer school learners or those who want to go ahead of peers in the traditional class setting.

• Credit recovery programs:

  If your child missed out on so many classes that s/he is behind in credits, this setup is vital. It may make it possible for your learner to graduate with peers. Doing so frequently requires a variety of interventions that rely on the online classroom to speed up the process for your student. Many parents come to see this program as a dropout prevention tool. Your student feels hopeful again. Suddenly, dropping out is not as attractive.

• College readiness:

  The high school diploma is a requirement for entering college. Earning it requires your student to develop some college readiness. When working with forward-looking instructors, learners feel challenged to start thinking long-term and envision themselves as academically successful students.

Sometimes, administrators may suggest testing. Examples include academic, cognitive, or gifted testing. Doing so gives you a better understanding of your child’s abilities and challenges. It may combine with behavioral and developmental testing. As a result, administrators have a better understanding of your child’s strengths and weaknesses, which they can then translate into a customized academic approach.

American High School Academy Goes a Step Further

In addition to offering you the advantages of a flexible educational model, the American High School Academy commits time and resources to your child’s success. Case in point is the college placement service. All school graduates receive free college placement assistance. Assistance examples include help with finding the right college for the program they want to pursue, filling out the application, and preparing the FAFSA application for financial aid.

Remember that your child’s needs do not end with their high school diploma. Granted, making it to this milestone is of primary importance right now. However, think long-term when making educational choices for your child. Work with a facility that commits itself to your student’s success now and in the future.

Contact the administrators at the American High School Academy to learn more about your options.

High school counselors find that this is frequently a missing piece in the conversation with a student thinking about dropping out. This learner has lost hope that there is life after school. Maybe there is not much in-home support concerning a possible career path. Perhaps this student wants to focus on a hobby that could become a career.

However, because they did not spend enough time studying, the hobby no longer has parental support. To make matters worse, the prospect of graduating on time is in jeopardy. Counselors can help these students to find college programs that embrace their hobbies. The alternative education provider then becomes the bridge that makes a move possible.

Partner with an Expert in the Field

Protect your students’ best interest by learning more about the dropout prevention school program Miami talks about. The American High School Academy wants to help learners finish their education. Teachers are committed to doing what it takes to make it happen.

Whether the student finishes the education with this program or returns to finish it at the district high school, the ultimate goal is the high school diploma. Contact us today to learn more.

American High School Academy, is a private, fully accredited high school based in Miami, Florida that offers both online and classroom high school courses.  We also offer credit recovery, dual enrollment, and study abroad programs among others.

Contact us if you need help deciding or just wish to talk to someone who can answer your questions. We’re here to help!

Thinking of Dropping Out? We Can Help You Find a Better Solution

Find a Brighter Future

Make an appointment with an Admissions Advisor to learn more about finishing your High School Diploma with American High School Academy.

BOOK NOW!

DEDICATED TO EXCELLENCE IN EDUCATION