Abstract
Purpose. The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine to what extent comprehensive high school administrators and counselors perceive the model continuation high school in their district is meeting the California Department of Education's model school quality criteria and to determine to what extent they perceive as the importance of each of the California Department of Education's model school quality criteria; and (2) to determine what comprehensive high school administrators and counselors recommend to continuation high school leaders to increase positive perceptions in the California State Department of Education's model school quality criteria areas. Methodology. Purposive sampling was used to identify three school districts in the California Central Valley containing a continuation high school with a model continuation high school designation for the 2004-2008 term. Focus group interviews were conducted using five questions that addressed the variables of curriculum, leadership, instructional strategies, guidance and counseling, and school climate. In addition to focus group interviews, participants completed a thirty-question survey pertaining to the five quality criteria areas. Findings and conclusions. The comprehensive high school administrators and counselors do not completely agree with the California Department of Education's rating of the model continuation high schools in the California central valley. The comprehensive high school administrators and counselors agree completely with the California Department of Education on the importance of each quality criteria indicator and comprehensive high school administrators' and counselors' recommendations to continuation high school leaders had a core characteristic of relationship building. Recommendations. Recommendations from the study include: (1) Continuation high school leadership considering undergoing the California Department of Education's model school program process should go through the process. The researcher found through the focus group interviews a huge respect for the alternative education teachers, support staff, and especially the leadership. (2) Model continuation high schools in the Central Valley work together through the California Continuation Education Association region five meetings to develop ways to become aligned with the comprehensive high school sites in their districts as far as curriculum standards.