Attending an alternative high school is a great choice for students who are on the verge of dropping out of a traditional high school. Alternative schooling benefits students who face challenges, such as pregnancy, homelessness, gang violence and other at-risk situations. Although the curriculum may not be on the same level as a traditional high school, alternative schools provide a more disciplined school environment. The days and semester are usually shorter, reducing the time the student spends in school and providing motivation to complete the course.
Mount Vernon Alternative School is a respectable and diverse alternative school located in southern Illinois. Mount Vernon Alternative School accepts students in grades eight through 12. As of May 2010, this school had 88 students enrolled. It offers small class sizes--no more than 14 students per full-time teacher.
Mount Vernon Alternative School
1714 Broadway St
Mount Vernon, IL 62864
618-244-8044
Moline Alternative High School--Coolidge Center accepts students in grades nine through 12. It offers individualized instruction and small class sizes--often 14 students per teacher. The school requires a 90 percent attendance rate to pass each class. The curriculum is similar to what is taught in traditional high schools, but students can access more job training and career-oriented experiences. As of May 2010, this school had 71 students and was ranked as one of the best in the state of Illinois.
Moline Alternative High School
3430 Avenue of the Cities
Moline, IL 61265
309-743-8587
molineschools.org
Joliet Township Alternate School provides alternative education with smaller class sizes and special education teachers on staff. This Will County alternative school serves grades Pre K through 12. As of May 2010, it had 89 students enrolled, which averaged out to 10 students per full-time teacher.
Joliet Township Alternate School
110 Collins St.
Joliet, IL 60432
815-727-6810
Westside Alternative High School is ranked as one of the best alternative high schools in the city of Chicago. As of May 2010, Westside Alternative High School had 209 students. It is a charter school that serves grades nine through 12. It provides students who have dropped out of traditional high school with a second chance to obtain a diploma, using the same curriculum that is taught in traditional high schools. Westside Alternative High School uses a holistic approach, and offers services that include counseling, mentoring, tutoring and empowerment activities.
Westside Alternative High School
4909 W Division St.
Chicago, IL 60651
773-265-8651
The Lincoln's ChalleNGe Academy is one of the more popular alternative high schools in the state of Illinois. It offers a military-style education to at-risk men and women who have been displaced or dropped out of traditional high school. The program focuses on eight core objectives that the student must pass with a score of 80 percent or better. The curriculum focuses not only on academics, but also on areas such as job skills, physical fitness and leadership.
Lincoln's ChalleNGe Academy
205 Dodge Avenue
Rantoul, Illinois 61866
217-893-9714
