The school was founded in 1972 by Jackson Parker and David Johnston, two teachers at Racine's Park High School and graduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. As part of their doctoral dissertation project, they intended to develop a paradigm for evaluating alternative secondary schools, and study the effectiveness of curriculum choices. The Racine Unified School District gave the pair permission to open Racine Alternative High School as part of their project, approving the proposal and purchasing the McMynn building, named for educator John G. McMynn, founder of the public school system in Racine, from the Racine Technical Institute to house it.
The school was established in 1972 by Jackson Parker and David Johnston, two teachers at Racine's Park High School and graduate students at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. As part of their doctoral dissertation project, they aimed to create a framework for assessing alternative secondary schools and examining curriculum effectiveness. The Racine Unified School District granted permission for the pair to establish Racine Alternative High School as part of their research, approving the proposal and acquiring the McMynn building from the Racine Technical Institute to serve as its home.