Assists students who need additional credits. Assists school administrators in finding an appropriate program to meet the needs of at-risk youth who are not functioning in the traditional education environment.

All Alternative School Programs contain the following components:

- Safety: School uniforms, dress requirements, daily check-ins through metal detectors, and closed campus environment.

- Behavior Management Program: Student success plans, individual education plans, behavior level systems, attendance requirements, effort grades, collaboration with social agencies, and court services.

- Standardized Curriculum: Instruction in math, science, language arts, and social studies at all grade levels. Course objectives are based on Illinois Learning Standards. Use of Internet and computer daily in all programs.

- Work Coop and Community Service: Students are involved in work coop instruction and receive credit for community service activities.

Offers to Recruit, train, and place volunteer tutors to work with adults 17 years and older to learn English as a Second Language, or to improve their reading and/or math skills up to the 9th grade level. Tutoring takes place in public locations. STAR staff provide

- Testing.

- Learning materials.

- Support to tutors and their learners.

Equal Chance Homeless Education Program helps families, educators, and community organizations gain critical information and make vital connections to restore educational access to children who are homeless (grades preschool to high school).

- Services include help for school personnel to identify homeless students so they can immediately be enrolled in school and training on rights and needs of homeless students.

- Social service staff can assist if enrollment problems occur.

- Although this office cannot assist homeless students financially, they can give appropriate referrals to local human service agencies who may be able to help.

Serves all students, teachers, administrators, Boards of Education, and the communities of Iroquois and Kankakee counties.