Alternative High School

atm.paterson.k12.nj.us/

81 Students

High School 9th - 12th

School Overview

Alternative High School, located on Colt Street in Paterson, New Jersey, functions as a specialized educational environment within the Paterson Public Schools district. As an alternative institution, its primary mission is to serve students who may not be thriving in a traditional comprehensive high school setting. The school is designed to offer a more flexible, supportive, and personalized approach to learning, aimed at helping students overcome academic or personal challenges, recover necessary credits, and stay on track toward graduation.

The program focuses on fostering a smaller, more intimate community where students can build stronger relationships with faculty and staff. By utilizing tailored instruction and targeted support services, Alternative High School seeks to re-engage students who are at risk of dropping out, providing them with a pathway to earn their high school diploma and prepare for post-secondary opportunities. Through its focus on individualized academic success and student well-being, the school plays a critical role in ensuring that all students in the Paterson community have equitable access to a quality education.

Total Students

21.0

Full-Time Teachers

3.9

Student/Teacher Ratio

69.1%

Free/Reduced Lunch

Student Demographics

Student Demographics Data Table

Student Demographics for Alternative High School
Demographic	Student Count
Hispanic	34
Black	47

Black
47 (58.0%)
Hispanic
34 (42.0%)

School Location

School Details

Status:	Open
School Level:	High School
School Type:	Alternative School
Charter Status:*	Public Non-Charter
Virtual Instruction:	No virtual instruction
Shared Time Status:	No
District:	Paterson Public School District
Phone:	(973)321-0110
Website:	http://atm.paterson.k12.nj.us/
Grade Range:	9th - 12th
Total Students:	81
Full-Time Teachers (FTE):	21.0
Pupil/Teacher Ratio:	3.9
NSLP Participation:¹	Yes under Community Eligibility Option (CEO)
Qualified Free Lunch:	56
Qualified Reduced Lunch:	0

* Charter Schools: A public charter school is a publicly funded school that operates independently under a legislative contract (or "charter") with a state, school district, or designated authorizing entity. Charters grant these schools greater operational flexibility over curriculum, staffing, and budgeting in exchange for strict accountability to achieve performance standards established in their charter agreement.

¹ National School Lunch Program (NSLP): The National School Lunch Program is a federally assisted meal program operating in public and nonprofit private schools. It provides nutritionally balanced, low-cost or free lunches to eligible children each school day based on household income thresholds or community eligibility options (CEO).

Title I Program Overview: Title I, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) allocates federal financial assistance to local educational agencies and public schools with high percentages of children from low-income families to help ensure that all children meet challenging state academic standards.

Grades Taught

Grade 9 2

Grade 10 9

Grade 11 30

Grade 12 40