This study, "A Critical Examination of the Process of Modifying the Curriculum of Alternative Secondary Educational Programs," was done with the use of action research to study (a) whether students currently participating in a continuation school believe their educational and career needs are presently being met; (b) the types of career paths students would be most interested in having incorporated within their present standard curriculum; (c) to ascertain the needs and career paths of continuation high school students that will provide a meaningful career pathway alternative enrichment to the standard curriculum and which will offer better opportunities to enter the workforce at the conclusion of their secondary training; and (d) whether attendance, GPA, employment, and college acceptance are affected when comparing a Control Group with an Experimental Group of study. Data were collected through focus group discussions and one-to-one interviews, focused on addressing the research questions. The central research question guiding this study is, "What is the impact of Specialized Technology Education Curriculum (STEC) program component in the preparation of continuation high school students to locate meaningful employment and the possibility of collegiate education?" These procedures are designed to obtain and to amplify the voices of students currently attending continuation high schools with the use of action research. In addition, the stakeholders' perceptions about the strengths and challenges of the curriculum at the continuation high school were solicited and recommendations obtained for making significant improvements, using an action research model. [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/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]