Interagency Alternative School (IAS) programs provide staff, materials, and direction to nine types of programs at various locations in Fairfax County.  Some of these programs are co-funded with other public agencies.  IAS programs use an open enrollment model. They accept both Hearings Office and electively-placed students.  

Programs

Each IAS program is designed to target specific student populations:

• The ISAEP program provides an opportunity for eligible FCPS students, aged 16 years or older, to take the high school equivalency test at an earlier age and receive career education instruction.  All students also learn skills that will improve their workplace behavior.  This program is partially funded by the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) as an Individual Student Alternative Education Plan program.
• The Transition Support Resource Center (TSRC) is a short-term intervention program, typically one semester to one year in length.  Electively placed students who demonstrate success in this learning environment may remain enrolled through graduation.  Electively placed students may also choose to return to their base school or transition to another nontraditional school program.  Teachers at each site use a combination of small group instruction and online learning to provide access to content.  The TSRC focus is to improve each student’s academic performance and help with a successful re-entry into his or her next educational placement.
• The Nontraditional Career Readiness Academies (NCRA) partner with Career and Technical Education (CTE) to provide students with opportunities to explore their passions through career preparation programs.  These programs are co-located at FCPS Academy sites.  The NCRA program supports students by offering a smaller class size for core classes and a structured learning environment, while facilitating students’ growth.  The opportunity to participate in CTE programs provides a link to business and industry that starts the students down the path toward their career field of choice.
• Agency-sponsored programs are specifically designed to meet the needs of the student population of the host agency and enrollment is determined by the host agency.  Fairfax-Falls Church Community Services Board, United Methodist Family Services, the VDOE, and Juvenile and Domestic Relations District Court, in partnership with IAS, provide comprehensive services to youth who require intensive assistance and often long-term interventions.  Agency-sponsored programs include:
  • Fairfax County Adult Detention Center
  • Shelter Care
  • Stepping Stones and Foundations
  • Leland House

Initiatives

FCPS has developed several initiatives that promote academic achievement, development of essential life skills, and responsibility to community.  These initiatives were developed independently by IAS staff members or in partnership with sponsoring agencies.

• Creative Arts Contest: This is an annual poetry, essay, and art contest co-sponsored by the Springfield Rotary Club and IAS. This event recognizes outstanding student poetry, essays and artwork within IAS. 
• Literary Magazine: Developed and published by IAS students who are enrolled in a desktop publishing elective, the literary magazine showcases academic and creative accomplishments by compiling student writings and artwork from all IAS sites.
• Virtual Writing Lab: This virtual peer tutoring program partners “sister” sites so that students are able to provide feedback to each other on writing assignments from all curricular areas.
• Career Discovery Fair: IAS students visit Northern Virginia Community College (NVCC) and participate in workshops held on campus, including an NVCC campus tour, College Success workshop, and Financial Aid workshop.  Students are provided an opportunity to take their placement tests at the conclusion of the visit.  The target audience is juniors and seniors, but all grade levels are invited.
• Dreamcatchers: This is a partnership between George Mason University and Nontraditional School Programs that targets capable at-risk students enrolled in alternative education programs.  This unique program identifies and supports students whose life goals and postsecondary plans include attending and graduating from college.
• Goal Setting: As part of the positive behavior approach process, teachers participate in academic, behavior, and personal weekly goal setting with students as an initiative designed to model and practice goal setting behavior and to build relationships with students.
• Education for Employment Job Fair: Students have an opportunity to participate in two job fairs (one in the fall and one in the spring) to demonstrate mastery of career competencies by networking and interviewing with a variety of local employers at one time and place, in an effort to secure seasonal employment.  Prior to the event, students build a resume as well as review and practice job interview skills.  The Education for Employment teacher provides upper grade-level students classroom instruction to develop students’ employment skills and coordinates with local businesses for internships and employment opportunities.
• Restorative Justice Attendance/Community Circles:  IAS staff members function within the restorative justice framework, with many trained facilitators who lead community building circles to build relationships at the site.  Data has shown that by building community buy in, attendance in school increases and discipline referrals decrease.

Curriculum and Testing

IAS adheres to the FCPS division wide assessment schedule and adheres to the FCPS Program of Studies using FCPS approved textbooks and ancillary materials for middle and high school students.  In addition, IAS uses a VDOE approved digital curriculum.

Beliefs

• We believe that a student-centered environment that is focused on hope is fundamental to academic success in all areas as well as post-secondary success.  Therefore, IAS will continue to focus on improving student relationships through culturally responsive teaching and an equity lens.
• The over-arching goal of IAS is to graduate students on time; therefore, grade level promotion is essential.  In order to achieve grade level promotion, IAS will continue to monitor credit acquisition and refine the responsive instruction process so that staff members can intervene effectively with struggling students.  IAS will also expand industry credential opportunities so that the IAS students achieve this industry credential at a 100 percent rate.
• We also believe wholeheartedly in high quality instruction; therefore, IAS staff members will continue to assess and analyze attendance rates, refine strategies for attendance intervention, and develop capacity to provide continued incentives for students to attend class.
• We believe in developing a sense of civic responsibility in students and will continue to expand the service-learning programming and provide meaningful opportunities for students to develop a responsibility to the community.
• Finally, we believe in high quality professional development.  IAS teachers will continue to participate in professional development opportunities in the following:
  • development of instructional strategies to engage all students
  • in-depth discussions around Portrait of a Graduate and how IAS embeds those tenets into instructional practices across the curriculum
  • ongoing use of Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS)
  • coaching conversations with teachers, which will include specific feedback, to expand their capacity as instructors 
  • opportunities to collaborate around the design of innovative lessons infused with technology and critical/creative thinking strategies
  • restorative justice practices and training to increase the number of teachers who are able to implement community circles at their site with the hope of building a stronger sense of community and improve student attendance