The purpose of the High School Development Center, an alternative school in Detroit, Michigan, is to provide educational opportunities for 300 students identified as unsuccessful by principals of five high schools. Students in grades 9 and 10 are selected for the program if they exhibit two of the following: (1) very low academic achievement; (2) poor attendance; and (3) behavior problems. Evaluation of the Center was accomplished by analyzing and comparing trends in the number of violations of the Student Code of Conduct, attendance, and academic achievement of students at the Center with a carefully selected control group at the home schools, and by surveying students, parents, and teachers. Conclusions include the following: (1) no improvement was perceived in the safety and school climate at the home schools as a result of removing the students sent to the Center; (2) Center students showed greater improvement in academic achievement; (3) attendance rates for Center students decreased, while rates for the control group increased; (4) the rate of Code of Conduct violations for Center students was lower than the rate for the control group. Responses from staff, students and parents were incorporated into a list of 11 recommendations for program improvement. Extensive statistical data are included in 13 tables. (FMW)