Date of Award

Spring 2025

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Larry Putnam

Abstract

The purpose of this mixed methods case study was to examine the overcrowding and continuously growing enrollment at the sole alternative school in a southern North Carolina school district. This study focused on determining the factors affecting increased enrollment, decreased transition-out rates, and high recidivism. This study investigated the perceptions of staff within the alternative school as well as secondary administrators across the district concerning how students enter, live in, and exit an alternative placement. This study utilized both quantitative and qualitative data surrounding the perspectives of staff and administrators regarding the alternative school’s ability to manage the issues of overcrowding and increased enrollment. The quantitative phase consisted of quality indicators and standards derived from North Carolina Department of Public Instruction’s (2016) Alternative Learning Programs and Schools Standards and Implementation Procedures. The purpose of the qualitative phase was to gather more detailed insight into the data from the quantitative phase, as well as the processes surrounding referrals, student transitions back to their home schools, and recidivism rates. The findings of this study indicated a need for and documentation of quality interventions at the home schools prior to a referral, high-quality professional development opportunities for staff within the alternative school, and support for continued interventions at the home schools after a successful transition out.

Creative Commons License

Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 4.0 License

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