A study was conducted to determine whether the adult basic education environment improved the educational outlook of at-risk students. The research was conducted using a 25-question survey with 100 students enrolled in the Nicolet College Alternative High School program for at-risk students in northern Wisconsin, from January through December 1998. The study was designed as a pretest-posttest to ascertain student's attitudes toward education at the beginning and the end of their enrollment in an alternative high school program that was conducted similarly to adult literacy programs. The survey results indicated an improvement in student attitudes regarding education in alternative high school programs. The study concluded that attitudes of at-risk students can improve through attendance in alternative high school programs with more teacher-student contact than traditional high school programs. It was recommended that at-risk students be given more opportunities to enroll in alternative high school programs. The student attitude questionnaire is appended to the report. (Contains 20 references.) (KC)