The purpose of this study was to evaluate two alternative programs in a North Carolina and South Carolina (SC) public school district to determine if they are effective in delivering constructive interventions that modify student behavior once students have left the programs and have returned to their regular learning environments. This mixed-method evaluation consisted of an experimental-comparison design approach that included interviews with program participants, completing focus groups, and comparison of the number of out-of-school suspensions that participants received after completing the alternative school programs in both school districts. The researcher and trained interviewers administered a survey to 25 certified and classified staff members in the SC district, including the school administration. A stratified random proportionate sample was used to produce functionally equivalent groups from the SC school district database for the number of alternative school reassignments due to long-term out-of-school suspensions of African-American ninth-grade students who received major disciplinary infractions. The three research questions that guided the study and their findings were: What practices are contributing to student success in the alternative program? The questions answered in the survey along with the focus group sessions suggested that there were positive procedures at the school that contributed to the student's success who attended. To what extent is the alternative program following its design as planned? The requirements are listed in Appendix A, the Alternative School Monitoring Report. The SC district continues to operate in accordance with the State Department of Education via a mandatory evaluation of state requirements and procedures. What is the effect of the alternative program on the recidivism rate? The data in Appendix B shows the numbers and how they have decreased by each grade each year. In an end-of-year alternative school report, the administration has reported a 4-6% recidivism rate. Based on these findings, the companion investigators concluded that the NC and SC alternative education programs were effective in decreasing recidivism for African-American males and females in the ninth grade and increasing student success when they returned to their home school. Findings also suggested a strong need for greater collaboration with the home schools and transference of interventions and practices. These elements were thought to be necessary by the alternative education staff in sustaining student success once they returned to their regular school settings. The investigators offered a professional development model outcome for the consideration of executive staff and Board of Education members to improve the overall success of not only African-American students but students of all ethnic subgroups within both southeastern school districts. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]