Achieving successful outcomes through Alternative Education Provision: an international literature review

Despite there being little rigorous evaluation research documenting the effectiveness of alternative education programmes that can link specific programme characteristics with specific student outcomes much of the literature on alternative education does present features or characteristics thought to be essential to the success of alternative education efforts. A number of documents usefully bring together what are believed to be effective characteristics and components of Alternative Education Provision but it should be noted that: (i) many are characteristics or components of effective education, wherever it takes place; (ii) there is not necessarily a strong evidence base to support claims of effectiveness; and (iii) importantly, there is little or no indication in the literature of how these characteristics or components contribute to effective Alternative Education Improvement.