Original Research by School Decision on Alternative High School
Alternative High School serves as a special education school within the Cherry Hill School District, offering a ninth-through-twelfth-grade program in a setting designated for students with individualized education plans. The school is very small, with an enrollment that makes it one of the smallest high school programs in the area. Its student body reflects the broader diversity of Cherry Hill while also including a substantial share of students who qualify for free or reduced-price lunch. White students make up about half of the enrollment, with Hispanic students and students identifying as two or more races each accounting for a noticeable share, and Black students present in smaller proportion.
Because Alternative High School is a special education school, the usual public academic measures do not apply here. State testing data is not reported for this school, and no graduation rate is available. The same holds for chronic absenteeism figures. These gaps are expected for a school of this type, where the students served often have academic and behavioral supports that place them outside the standard testing and accountability frameworks. No data on course offerings, staffing ratios, or discipline incidents was available in the source materials, so a detailed picture of the school’s day-to-day academic program is not possible from this data.
The school is part of the Cherry Hill School District, a large suburban district that operates numerous elementary, middle, and high schools. No recent district-level changes—such as referendums, curriculum shifts, or property tax adjustments—were found in publicly reported sources, so the district context appears stable. Cherry Hill itself is a sprawling commercial and residential hub, home to a major shopping mall, corporate headquarters, and a growing Korean American business corridor. It is car-dependent with no traditional downtown. Housing values in Cherry Hill run well above the national median, and rents are substantial; the local market has seen steady activity with a mix of mid-century homes and newer developments. Residents commute across the region, with many working in Philadelphia, Camden, or other nearby cities.
For a parent or guardian whose child may be referred to Alternative High School, what matters most is the school’s specialized mission. It is not a comprehensive high school with Advanced Placement courses or a wide array of electives; it is a small, targeted program likely designed to provide intensive support for students with disabilities who need a separate educational environment. The absence of conventional metrics means families will need to rely on communication with the school and district special education staff to understand the specific programming, therapy services, transition planning, and daily structure. The school’s tiny size suggests close adult-student relationships, but also limits the range of activities and peer interactions available. Cherry Hill’s amenities—parks, a public library, cultural sites—are part of the broader community context, but the school itself sits within that suburban landscape without a walkable commercial core. Families considering this placement should seek direct information from the Cherry Hill School District’s special education office about the school’s curriculum, staff qualifications, and post-graduation outcomes, as those details are not captured in the publicly available data.
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