This report examines the need for alternative education among vulnerable youth and describes the numbers and characteristics of youth who disconnect from mainstream developmental pathways. It also examines the question what is an alternative education school or program? and suggests the beginnings of a typology defining and organizing the varieties of educational alternatives. Finally, it summarizes the findings of a roundtable on directions for future research on alternative education and describes the types of information needed to advance the field and foster more support for the development of high-quality educational alternatives.