The Dallas Independent School District (DISD) established an alternative education system to comply with a 1976 desegregation court order. This system was composed of vanguards (grades 4-6), academies (grades 7-8), and magnet high schools (grades 9-12). These schools were expected to attract a student population which would reflect the ethnic mix of the DISD. The ethnic groups were white, hispanic, and black. Each school offered a special curricular or instructional emphasis. Many of these schools successfully created an ethnic balance approximating that of the district at large. The vanguards and academies appeared to be doing an average job of educating. Students at these alternative schools tended to score as well as their counter-parts in other Dallas schools on standard achievement tests. Magnet students rated the programs favorably. They were less enthusiastic about recruiting, counseling, and academic classes. The Career Development Center was included in the alternative education evaluation because it had a district-wide attendance area. Some of the special features of the schools evaluated in this study were expressive arts, "back to basics" curriculum, career exploration and career training in several areas. (DWH)