News & Press

The Alternative High School Initiative Hosts a Fifth Anniversary Convening in Providence, RI with guests including the Providence Mayor, Providence Superintendent, RI Commissioner of Education, representatives of the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation and national education and policy experts Monday through Wednesday, October 1st-3rd, school developers and education professionals from around the country came together in Providence, RI to address the needs of vulnerable students at The Alternative High School Initiative (AHSI) Fall Convening. AHSI is a network of youth development organizations, funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, committed to creating educational opportunities for young people for whom traditional school settings have not been successful. This convening marked the five year anniversary of the Alternative High School Initiative, which has now started over 200 schools around the country.

The convening drew representatives from AHSI’s twelve participating organizations and several staff members from the Gates Foundation. Attendees observed and participated in roundtable discussions, panels, and strategy sessions. A keynote conversation was led by Ron Wolk, Founding Editor of Education Week and Teacher Magazine. A major goal of the conference was for attendees to advance a dialogue around the conditions necessary to start and sustain schools through city and district partnerships. State and city leaders and policy makers such as Providence Mayor David N. Cicilline, Providence School Board Member Bert Crenca, Providence Superintendent Donnie W. Evans, RI Commissioner of Education Peter McWalters, and Executive Director of the Annenberg Institute for School Reform at Brown University, Warren Simmons joined a panel discussion to share their perspectives on how local government, school districts and non-profits can collaborate to serve young people who have, or are at risk of, dropping out.