Extending the Environments for Learning: Expanding the Practice of School Leadership To Meet the Needs of At-Risk Students and Special Interest Groups

The problems of at-risk students will require diversity in intervention strategies that are implemented to address their problems. This paper reviews three alternative educational strategies that may be used successfully with at-risk students: (1) independent study; (2) home schooling; and (3) programs designed to meet the needs of homeless students. Independent study programs incorporate many characteristics of effective alternative schools. The approach may not be successful for all at-risk students, but the potential of the approach is clear. Home schooling is another approach that should be studied in an effort to provide a free public education for all students. School restructuring efforts need to consider the needs of home schooling families and develop mutually acceptable programs. A special population of at-risk students are those from homeless families. The McKinney Homeless Assistance Act was the first real recognition by the federal government that homelessness is a problem deserving national attention. Attention to the needs of homeless children is an area in which administrators must take the lead in training school personnel. (Contains 42 references.) (SLD)