Date of Award

Spring 2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Committee Chair

Kathi Gibson

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to conduct a program evaluation of an alternative educational program in North Carolina for high school students at-risk for dropping out. The CIPP model was used to evaluate to what extent the alternative educational program is achieving its stated mission. This mixed-method evaluation consisted of quantitative and qualitative data that included interviews with district- and school-level leaders, surveys from selected staff at six high schools and the alternative educational program, and historical data. The program evaluation explored the program’s strengths and weaknesses, and recommendations for improvement. Based on the findings, the research questions examined leaders and staff’s perceptions of the program’s effectiveness. Using thematic analysis, themes of the program’s strengths and weaknesses were extracted from triangulation of interviews and surveys. The key findings focused on academic, behavioral, and social practices that substantiated or failed to substantiate the mission. Areas that were identified as needing improvement were academic-referral process, software usage and training, and student failures; behavioral-student legal issues and discipline procedures; and social-IMPACT social skills period, and home and community supports. The implication for sustaining the program is that knowing the perceived effectiveness and on-track rates for students may help leaders make more informed decisions. Additionally, knowing the various types of programs available and the specific components that staff felt were impactful for student success can better inform leaders when creating programs to fit the district’s needs.

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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