Youth in Alternative Learning Settings
School Context and Climate:
Perceptions, Behaviors and Experiences
MSS in Alternative Learning Settings
• Participation includes all ALC/ALP students in
grades 7 through 12
– Students who are dual enrolled participate only once
• Secondary Survey Instrument
MSS Alternative Learning Settings Report
• Matched sample by age, gender and
race/ethnicity
• Includes the following topics:
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Family Characteristics and Experiences
School Context and Climate
Out of School Time Activities and Community
Health Behaviors
Mental Health
Victimization
Alcohol, Tobacco and Other Drug use
Other Risk Behaviors
Sexual Activity
Who participated: Gender
Who participated: Age
Who participated: Race and ethnicity
12.0%
3.8%
17.3%
11.2%
4.4%
51.3%
American Indian
African American
Hispanic-Latino
Asian American
White
Mixed race
Who participated: Ever had an IEP
Who participated: Free/Reduced price lunch
School Context and Climate
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Feelings towards school
Teacher’s interest and respect
Post-secondary school plans
Grades
Truancy, attendance and mobility
School climate and perceptions of safety
Victimization
Bullying experiences
Weapons at school
Feelings towards school
Teachers are interested in you as a person
Teachers show respect for students
Post-secondary school plans
Receive the following grades most often
Skipped a full day of school in the last 30
days
Did not go to school because felt unsafe in the
last 30 days
Number of times changed schools since the
beginning of this school year
Students are friendly
Students behave well in the hallways and
lunchrooms
Students have made fun of or threatened students
of different races or backgrounds
I feel safe going to and from school
I feel safe at school
Bathrooms in the school are a safe place to be
Illegal gang activity is a problem at this school
Student alcohol or drug use is a problem at
this school
Physical victimization at school in the last 12
months
Sexual victimization at school in the last 12
months
Property stolen or damaged at school in the
last 12 months
Bullying experiences: Weekly or more in the
last 30 days
Carried a weapon at school in the last 30
days
Conclusions
• Overall students in alternative learning settings report similar
experiences to their mainstream peers, such as feeling safe at
school and having plans to go to college.
• Students in alternative learning settings:
– Witness less racial harassment of their peers
– Experience less physical and sexual victimization at school
– Report being truant in the previous month or having changed
schools in the previous year more often than their peers
• These indicators show that the alternative learning settings have
succeeded at creating a more positive school climate and have
potential lessons that could applied to youth in the traditional public
schools.