• Alternative schools help students who don't succeed in the public school environment toward graduation.graduation girl image by robert mobley from Fotolia.com
  
  Indiana does not have an age limit on students working for a high school diploma, so adults may attend some schools on the Indiana Department of Education's list of alternative education programs. To graduate, students must pass the Indiana General Qualification Exam and complete the "Core 40" requirements. In 2010, a high school diploma added an average of $176 weekly to a non-graduate's median salary of $448, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics.
  
  

Hope Academy

• Students recovering from a drug or alcohol addiction may attend the Hope Academy, a tuition-free, public charter high school. The school provides a safe and challenging academic experience that encourages sobriety through sponsorship, 12-step meetings and an active recovery plan. The school requires students to agree to random alcohol or drug testing. The school organizes parent and faculty organizations and committees to provide a supportive environment and programs that complement the academic curriculum. Students receive an evaluation at enrollment to determine what courses they need to fulfill the state requirements for graduation and prepare for higher education or a vocation.
  
  Hope Academy
  Fairbanks Alcohol and Drug Treatment
  8102 Clearvista Pkwy.
  Indianapolis, IN 46256-4698
  317-572-9382
  800-225-4673 (toll-free)
  fairbankscd.org
  
  

Indianapolis Public Schools

• Indianapolis Public Schools offer 17 alternative study programs. Supplemental programs allow middle and high schoolers who have failed courses or standardized tests in mathematics and language arts to catch up and master concepts for success. The district has special schools focused on students in specific situations: pregnant or new teenage parents, recently released from a juvenile detention facility, suspended or expelled, at risk of dropping out or showing behavioral problems. Programs combine individualized academic instruction with real-world career experiences that allow students to earn credits toward graduation.
  
  Indianapolis Public Schools
  1740 E. 30th St.
  Indianapolis, IN 46218
  317-226-4110
  alternativeedu.ips.k12.in.us
  
  

Lifetime Education Academy

• The Lifetime Education Academy, located in the A.H. Kennedy Lifetime Education Center, offers alternative education for students from South Spencer High School, General Educational Development exam and high school diploma programs. Classroom instruction takes place weekdays from 8 a.m. to noon, Tuesdays through Thursdays from 1 to 3:30 p.m. and Wednesdays from 5 to 8 p.m., with a 16-hour attendance requirement for high school students and three-hour minimum for adults. The program follows the operating schedule of the South Spencer school district. The school offers life skills, substance abuse and GED educational programs with classes for inmates held at the Spencer County Correctional Facility. Adult students may enroll in the program at any time and high school age students must obtain a referral from South Spencer High School.
  
  Lifetime Education Academy
  A. H. Kennedy Lifetime Education Center
  Seminary Street
  Rockport, IN 47635
  812-649-5088
  sspencer.k12.in.us