NCJ Number
51405
Date Published
1976
Length
76 pages
Annotation
ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL AND SPECIAL INSTRUCTION PROGRAMS USED IN MIAMI, FLA., TO MODIFY THE BEHAVIOR OF DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS IN THE PUBLIC SCHOOLS ARE DESCRIBED AND EVALUATED.
Abstract
THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL PROGRAM OPERATES THROUGH FOUR FACILITIES AT THE JUNIOR HIGH SCHOOL AND SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL LEVELS. THE PROGRAM FEATURES INDIVIDUALIZED INSTRUCTION IN THE BASIC SKILLS, EXTENSIVE OPPORTUNITY FOR COUNSELING AND VOCATIONAL PREPARATION, SMALL CLASS SIZE, AND USE OF BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION APPROACHES FOR DEVELOPING APPROPRIATE ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL BEHAVIOR. STUDENTS SENT TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS HAVE BEEN JUDGED TO BE SOCIALLY MALADJUSTED. THE SCHOOL CENTERS FOR SPECIAL INSTRUCTION (SCSI), LOCATED IN EACH SECONDARY SCHOOL, PROVIDE PROBLEM STUDENTS WITH A BRIEF 'TIME OUT' FROM THEIR REGULAR CLASS SETTINGS, OFFERING AN ENVIRONMENT IN WHICH THE STUDENT CAN CONTINUE THE REGULAR ACADEMIC PROGRAM UNDER CLOSE SUPERVISION. STUDENTS ARE ASSIGNED TO THE CENTERS BY TEACHERS OR ADMINISTRATORS FOR PERIODS OF 3 TO 5 DAYS. ACADEMIC AND SOCIAL GUIDANCE COUNSELING IS MADE AVAILABLE TO THE STUDENTS. INTERVIEWS WITH ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL STAFF INDICATED GENERAL ADHERENCE TO MOST OPERATIONAL GUIDELINES, ALTHOUGH BEHAVIOR MODIFICATION TACTICS WERE NOT BEING APPLIED IN AT LEAST ONE OF THE SCHOOLS. THERE WERE SOME PROBLEMS IN GAINING COOPERATION FROM PARENTS. STUDENTS FELT THAT THE PROGRAMS WERE HELPFUL. FOR STUDENTS STILL IN THE ALTERNATIVE PROGRAM, POSITIVE CHANGES IN MOTIVATION, PERFORMANCE, AND BEHAVIOR WERE NOTED. HOWEVER, ABOUT 20 PERCENT OF THE STUDENTS WERE EVALUATED AS NEVER BEING ABLE TO RETURN TO THE REGULAR SCHOOL PROGRAM, AND 11 PERCENT WERE THOUGHT NEVER TO BE ABLE TO GRADUATE. OF THE STUDENTS WHO HAD RETURNED, 20 PERCENT WERE EVALUATED AS REQUIRING REASSIGNMENT TO THE ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL. HOWEVER, FOR THE BEHAVIORS USED TO DEFINE THE DISRUPTIVE SYNDROME, THE MAJORITY OF FORMER ALTERNATIVE SCHOOL STUDENTS WERE EVALUATED AS 'BETTER OR NO WORSE' THAN OTHER STUDENTS IN THEIR CLASSES. OBSERVATION OF SCSI CLASSES INDICATED THAT STUDENT BEHAVIOR WAS BEING CONTROLLED AND APPROPRIATELY DIRECTED IN MOST CASES. ALTHOUGH NO FORMAL EVALUATION OF THE IMPACT OF SCSI'S ON STUDENT BEHAVIOR WAS PERFORMED, TEACHERS SEEMED TO FEEL THAT SCSI'S WERE EFFECTIVE. ANALYSIS OF DATA ON STUDENTS SUSPENDED FOR INVOLVEMENT IN RELATIVELY SERIOUS MISBEHAVIOR REVEALED A PATTERN OF LOW ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT, TRUANCY, VERBAL ASSAULTS ON STAFF, AND PHYSICAL ASSAULTS ON FELLOW STUDENTS. SIGNIFICANT PERCENTAGES OF THESE STUDENTS HAD BEEN EXPOSED TO SCSI'S AND ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS. AMONG RECOMMENDATIONS ARE THE DEVELOPMENT OF EARLY IDENTIFICATION PROCEDURES, AND INSERVICE TRAINING TO HELP REGULAR CLASSROOM TEACHERS COPE WITH DISRUPTIVE BEHAVIOR. SUPPORTING DATA ARE INCLUDED. (AUTHORS ABSTRACT MODIFIED--LKM)