An Exploration of At-Risk Students' Journeys through a Continuation High School

There is a void of current research on continuation schools and the students who attend these unique and historic educational institutions (Kelly, 1993). In an era of increased pressure surrounding student performance, of tight financial constraints, and of a changing landscape of student demographics, this study attempts to explore and understand the intimate journey of the at-risk student through the continuation school. Across the state of California there are 521 continuation high schools serving more than 71,345 students. Understanding the student experience is vital to improving conditions for learning (Kessler, 2000;Kelly, 1993;Gonzalez, 2005). There are millions of at-risk students who never make it to a continuation school who would benefit from having teachers and administrators who understand the conditions that encourage students' decisions to leave school prior to graduating. The study explores the experiences of 12 former continuation high school students in Northern California. Engaging in critical conversations and interviews, the young adults share their thoughts on their education, social life, and the challenges that they experienced while attending the continuation school. Listening to their voices is the most authentic way to learn from these young adults and will help guide future decisions for educational leaders. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]