We are not looking to that. We are looking at them as transitional assistance to return the student back to the general population. I think we're on the cutting edge of what's taking place in education today. What I think we want to do is see it broaden. We're servicing kids, kids are being successful and, the only way we'd change it is to offer this service to more kids.
Alternative schools reach only a small number of students in Illinois.
130,000 students were suspended or expelled last year. Just under 5,000 students were in the state-sponsored alternative schools program. Illinois state school superintendent, Glenn McGee, says he will support legislation that would require local school boards to at least consider alternative schools as an option for kids who otherwise would be expelled. Frankly, I think that it should be mandatory that before any student is expelled, local school board at least considers and looks at the different range of alternative programs and services available. Again, it's not the answer for every student.