NDPC’s newest publication, Effective Strategies for Alternative School Improvement, is a practice guide that offers a clear and actionable process and guiding questions that school leaders can use to analyze their alternative schools and programs and to make changes to improve student outcomes. Improving student achievement in alternative schools is of increasing importance since districts are now accountable for closing achievement gaps among underperforming subgroups that often populate alternative schools. The practice guide recommends five specific areas that should be the focus of alternative school improvement, 32 target areas that should be considered, and offers guiding questions that school leaders can use to determine improvement action steps. Because alternative schools are very different and require different actions to improve, the guide allows school leaders to identify and focus on those areas that are most likely to improve specific need areas within local contexts. The practice guide is offered at no cost to states, school districts, and local schools. It is available for review or download here. The authors of the practice guide and the staff of the National Dropout Prevention Center are available to answer questions about the use of the practice guide and are also available to guide school leaders to additional alternative school resources. Inquiries may be emailed to ndpc@dropoutprevention.org or by calling 864-642-6372.