Alternative Education

Throughout the City School District of Albany, there are minor miracles happening that most people never hear about. For example:

• An elementary student who was once unmanageable becomes a model of good behavior and goes from a non-reader to a reader.

• A middle school student with a long list of suspensions for fighting learns how to control her anger and redirects her energies into more constructive pursuits.

• A high school student who nearly quit school after being arrested for shoplifting instead focuses on getting into college and pursuing a business management degree.

There are countless other stories that may or not be miracles but certainly constitute glimmer of home. These include students with long absentee records who start coming to school, students with failing grades who start doing their homework, and students with long histories of struggling academically who begin to catch up to their peers.

These minor miracles and glimmers of hope are the result of Albany's many different alternative programs--safety nets designed to catch students from slipping away into a lifetime of few opportunities.

These programs include:

• Transitional Learning Center (TLC)

• Middle school in-house programs

• Middle School Alternative Programs (MsAPs)

• Tutorial Opportunities Program for Students (TOPS)

• High school in-house programs

• Harriet Gibbons Alternative High School

• Abrookin Extended-Day Program

• Teenage Mothers' Program (TAM)