Truancy plus crime equals faulty education

[proud2BlibKansan]

I had a 'discussion' here not long ago with someone who didn't realize what alternative schools are. This is a great article in my morning paper which describes the schools and explains the funding problems and the gaps in the alternative ed program. Great read!
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“Everybody wants to point fingers at everyone else, but kids are out on the street hurting each other. No one’s talking, and it’s a fiasco.”
Alan DuBois, executive director of the alternative charter Genesis School

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For these transplanted teenagers, an overwhelmed and sometimes fractious network of alternative education lost its grip. As truants and dropouts, they mirror the 65 percent of teens in Jackson County’s detention school in 2004-05 who were out of school when they were arrested for crimes.

That was up from 46 percent just five years ago.

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Once students are ready to move out of the residential programs, the school choices are increasingly limited and frustrating to everyone involved, said David Kleen, the Family Court’s assistant director for residential services.

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“You don’t want a kid who has broken the law next to your kid in school. But there are ramifications. They’re out on the streets. They become adults.”

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The state was doling out $10 million a year to help take a dent out of the costs of 17 pilot programs across the state, said Deborah Sutton, the Missouri education department’s director of instructional technology.

But a series of cuts in recent years reduced funding to $3.1 million, she said.

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http://www.kansascity.com/mld/kansascity/13531610.htm

[comradebillyboy]

1. I think alternate schools are valuable.

As a school teacher, I certainly see the need for schools that accomodate those who cannot adjust to the regular schools. its a lot better than truancy or deliquency.

[proud2BlibKansan]

2. I agree

The poster here I discussed this with denied that they were for kids who had problems. I was shocked that she didn't realize what they were and why we have them.