Date of Award
1-1-1991
Document Type
Practicum
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Child and Youth Care Administration
Advisor
Polly Peterson
Committee Member
Linda Hobgood
Keywords
academic failures, attendance problems, behavior disorders, community partnerships, correctional education, courts, delinquency, delinquency causes, delinquency rehabilitation, delivery systems, equal protection, high-risk students, juvenile courts, learning disabilities, learning problems, math achievement, needs assessment, outreach programs, problem children, prosocial behavior, reading achievement, recidivism, special education, student conduct, youth problems
Abstract
This practicum was designed to provide an alternative setting for those 9 to 16-year-old handicapped, adjudicated youths who, because of anti-social acts, behavioral/emotional problems, learning disabilities, attendance problems, and other reasons, were excluded from the mainstreamed setting. Host school administrators and teachers ^/ere not prepared to effectively manage these concerns, therefore, the _ school system often had no recourse but to refer these high-risk students to City Court and the Juvenile Judge. The literature Indicated that there had been a sharp Increase In arrest rates beginning at the Junior high school age; It appeared that younger children were committing more serious and violent crimes than in previous decades. Although young adolescents comprised only 12 percent of the total U. S. population, the behavior problems exhibited were major ones. Because of the significant Increase In those students being excluded from the mainstreamed setting, this practicum was aimed at enhancing a cooperative effort of the public school system, special education, the Judiciary system, and the community in providing an alternative setting for these youths with special problems.
The practicum was designed to create many of the aforementioned changes; therefore, a teacher was assigned to the alternative school by the director of special education, and the program was started. The Juvenile Judge recommended 10 students for the class. Within a seven month period, the progress of each student was documented in reading, math, pro-social behavior, attendance, conduct and recidivism through pre and post Instrumentation. The writer developed instruments in order to ascertain progress made. A fundraising as well as an advisory committee was put into place.