To meet Tennessee State guidelines for an alternative school, each student must have at least 30 minutes per day of social skills instruction. To fulfill academic requirements and earn credits toward graduation, each student is also enrolled in three academic subjects and one vocational class. In addition to academic subjects, the students day includes a planning meeting in the morning, an evaluation meeting and social skills training before leaving for the day. Each students leaves with a home report which lets the parents know how their students are progressing..
As a behavioral component, RYS has a level system where students earn a maximum of 100 points each day which determine the privileges that they may have on the following day. They earn points for good conduct, being helpful to the group, displaying positive interactions and following set expectations. Students who earn fewer than 70 points serve a restriction level which keeps them in their classroom for the day and restricts personal choices of food, peer interaction, and classroom participation. Students who have a high or middle level have choices of food, snacks, and classroom/school participations and they may receive special incentives.
Safety is of paramount importance. To enter the building, the students must be in dress code of blue, blue jeans, and a plan white shirt which is worn tucked in with no sagging allowed. Each student is searched by turning their pockets inside-out, removing his or shoes, and scanned with a metal detector. Students who enter the building out of dress code are restricted to their classroom for the day. Students are not allowed to bring drinks, gum, snacks, CDs, games, hats, cell phones or electronic devices. All material unrelated to instruction is confiscated for a parent to pick-up. If a student brings a tobacco product, he or she is given a citation that results in a fine for the student.
