THE PSYCHOLOGICAL CONDITIONS OF AN ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL LEADING TO ACADEMIC SUCCESS: A CASE STUDY OF ONE SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL THAT ATTENDED TO THE CONSTRUCTS OF SELF DETERMINATION THEORY

Abstract

There is a dearth of literature regarding alternative school practices based on theoretical premises leading to successful outcomes for students. The literature reveals outcomes that alternative school practitioners have long associated with successful practices and these were discovered to be very similar to the constructs of Self Determination Theory (SDT) (Ryan & Deci, 2000). SDT posits that when three human needs are supported people show increased self-motivation. These needs are competence, autonomy, and relatedness. The purpose of this case study of one successful alternative high school was to explain if its successes could be linked to the support of the component needs of SDT. Methods consisted of interviews, forum discussions, observations, and document reviews to reach findings after a series of coding reductions produced a framework of theme categories that were matched back to the constructs of SDT. The findings showed the school was highly and consistently supportive of the necessary human needs for building students’ motivation to succeed and were associated with a higher success rate leading to graduation. Future implications include that alternative school practitioners can raise successful outcomes of their students by building and sustaining practices around the support for student needs found in Self Determination Theory.