Alternative Education in the 21 st Century: Voices from Vancouver Island

1. Alternative Education in the 21st Century: Voices from Vancouver Island Karen J. Hlady EPLS Thesis Defence University of Victoria December 5th 2012

2. Overview Inspiration & Rationale Research Questions & Definitions Literature Review & Observations Methodology & Design Findings Conclusions Recommendations So What?

3. Inspiration & Rationale • Why conduct this study? • Working in and around the field for 17 years • What is this study about? • Understanding and contextualizing alternative education • What is the purpose? • Explore and analyze paradigms, policies, models and practices • Why? • Unearth and expose successful alternative education schools and programs • Determine whether alternative programs are a legitimate, credible and viable pathway to graduation for students who were not successful in mainstream school. • Ascertain whether there is any correlation between such programs and the BC Ministry of Education’s recent shift towards 21st Century learning

4. Definitions & RQs • Alternative Education: • Type 3 facilities • Focus on the educational, social and emotional needs of students • Provide support through differentiated instruction, program delivery and enhanced counselling services (BC MOE, 2010b) • 21st Century Learning: • Personalized learning • Move away from a set of broad, uniform learning outcomes and courses • Shift towards student-initiated and self directed learning (BC MOE, 2010a) RQs • How is alternative education defined, described and understood, in contrast to mainstream public education? • How does one measure student success and evaluate program efficacy in alternative schools? • What existing approaches and/or theoretical models make alternative education viable within the 21st Century learning paradigm?

5. Literature • Philosophy & Purpose • Student-centred • Meet the needs of students • Typology • Type I, II, III (Raywid, 1994), Type IV • Student Profile • At-risk (Socio-economic barriers) • Alternative Programs • Models, dimensions • Characteristics (flexibility, personalization and relationships) • Pedagogies, curriculum, staffing • Program Evaluation & Student Tracking • Criteria & Benchmarks • Policy • Alternative Education & 21st Century Learning

6. Methodology & Design • Qualitative Research Design • Phenomenological Approach – Lived experience • Participant Selection • 3 Key informants • 85 years of educational experience • 63 years of alternative education experience • 47 years of administrative experience • Data Collection, Organization & Analysis • Thematic open coding and cross-coding • N’Vivo qualitative software to process transcripts • Semi-structured interviews in natural settings (see handout) • Ethics & SD Approval • Qualitative Validity, Reliability & Rigour • Authenticity, Credibility & Trustworthiness • Crystalline analogy (Richardson & St-Pierre, 2005)

7. Findings RQ1 How is alternative education defined, described and understood, in contrast to mainstream public education? We’ve got a big banner that says “Opening Pathways to Success” and those pathways can be anyway. Some of the staff here say “you’re focussed on graduation.” I don’t care about graduation, I care about the kids getting on and being successful after they leave here. And if graduation is that step for them, great! If it’s me getting them a work experience that turns into a part time or full time job, fantastic! It’s whatever are means to each kid! So each kid has an individual program. Leo 17 years experience in education 16 years in alternative education 8 years in administration VP2/P6

8. Findings RQ2 How does one measure student success and evaluate program efficacy in alternative schools? In order to be successful, we need to set goals that are realistic and targets that are needed ... If I have a student ... that’s at a grade 2 or 3 level, and in 2 or 3 years, I’ve got him functioning at a grade 8 or 9 level, we’ve been very effective ... but if our benchmark for success is grade 12, we’re seen as not successful. So, to me, your effectiveness and your success have to be aligned. You have to set targets that mean something, collect data that means something and then judge your effectiveness. Terry 34 years experience in education 15 years in alternative education 27 years in administration VP2/P25

9. Findings RQ3 What existing approaches and/or theoretical models make alternative education viable within the 21st Century learning paradigm? It’s all about that individualized approach, and there’s no cookie cutter approach... it’s dealing with the individual and the individual’s needs and being flexible and understanding their situation and building relationships... and finding our kids ‘wanna’ and pulling in whatever kinds of families they have and working with those families... What is needed if we’re gonna be true to the direction that the Ministry of Education is moving in terms of meeting every kid’s need and really understanding what it means, PL21 means, individualized instruction... and somehow we need to build into mainstream the flexibility that we have to be involved in these different kinds of initiatives. John 34 years experience in education 32 years in alternative education 12 years in administration

10. Conclusions • Alternative education is a legitimate pathway to high school graduation, school completion, pre-employment skills and vocational training • Grounded in a student-centered philosophy (Starfish) • Education is personalized, tailored to that individual’s needs (Maslow) • Programs are flexible and responsive to the holistic needs of students (Amoeba), • Schools collaborate with community partners (village) • Successful alternative schools are the result of advocacy, innovation, engaged staff and adequate funding • Provide a welcoming environment peopled with highly skilled relationship-builders • Offer an array of graduation and school completion • Need relevant evaluation criteria and benchmarks • Virtually no literature or data exist addressing program evaluations or student follow-up in alternative education settings • Well-regarded alternative programs have been implementing the principles of 21st Century learning for years • Findings suggest successful alternative programs could inform mainstream schools on how to implement PL21

11. Recommendations • To the Ministry of Education (MOE) • “Best practices” working document • Qualitative evaluation platform using relevant criteria and benchmarks • Provincial database or central website of alternative programs • Re-evaluate funding to support PL21 principles “walk the talk” • To school districts • Target funding! • Revisit collective agreements to factor in suitability and allow administrators to select their staff • Look to your successful alternative programs to inform mainstream settings on PL21 • Restore exclusive alt ed. Pro-D days • Reassess class size and support staff (EA’s) allocation • Qualitative evaluation platform using relevant criteria and benchmarks • Reassess district service delivery model to align with MOE’s PL21 • To alternative schools and programs • Personalize learning plans according to student needs, capacities and interests • Measure student success according to their individual development plans, goals • Maintain a student-centered approach and believe in the process • Be flexible in your attendance policies, program structure and pedagogies • Move beyond self-paced worksheets and course packs • Develop innovative curriculum and unique pedagogies • Foster as many community partnerships as possible • Maintain caring relationship and a welcoming atmosphere • Advocate, advocate, advocate for your students and programs

12. So What? • Develop an “Intro to Alt. Ed.” interdisciplinary course • Sociology, Child & Youth Care, Education • Develop a Pro-D “Alt. Ed. Fundamentals” workshop • Pro-D days and/or annual BCAEA Alt. Ed. Conference • Pursue doctoral studies conducting a national study of alternative education (Ph.D) • Publications • Scholarly peer-reviewed journals • Professional journals • Book

13. TheoreticalFramework WHAT? Servant Leadership: Who you are! • The Servant Leadership philosophy’s characteristics, pillars and competencies offer specific ways of being - and doing – to become and foster balanced human beings • HOW? • Circle of Courage™ How you do it! • A Way of Being in the World: The Circle of Courage™ identifies 4 universal needs that children and all human seek to fulfill to become balanced human beings