Alternative Schools: Education Outside The Traditional System

Alternative schools are designed to educate students with academic, psychological or medical needs that cannot be met by traditional schooling.

Students might attend an alternative school if they are struggling with poor grades or behavioral issues, or if they have been suspended from school. Alternative schools can also be useful for students whose learning styles clash with conventional curricula or teaching methods.

According to a June 2014 Rennie Center policy brief on alternative education, 5,709 Massachusetts students were enrolled in such schools or programs  in the 2011-2012 school year. Many of the programs are concentrated in cities, but they exist across the state.

Read more at WBUR's Learning Lab.