An implementation evaluation of a therapeutic alternative public education setting for students in grades one through twelve

摘要

Each day, in schools across America, teachers willingly embrace the often daunting task of educating the nation's youth. Students who share little more than a common birth year are placed together with a teacher who is expected to take them from wherever they happen to be academically at the beginning of the year to where they simply must be by the time the final bell has rung at the end of the year. The task is daunting for many reasons, but one stands out. The needs of all students cannot be met in the same environment. As a result, school systems have embraced various alternatives to meet varying needs for their students. For students dealing with emotional disorders, behavioral disorders, or autism, some systems embraced the idea of therapeutic alternative education.;The purpose of this implementation evaluation was to examine the ways that an alternative education setting in central Alabama functions as a therapeutic placement center for students in grades one through twelve. This multimethod evaluation involved a wealth of qualitative data from multiple sources: a review of existing documentation, multiple interviews with faculty and staff, and field notes and observations from the multiple visits made to the alternative education setting. The study also evaluated areas for improvement in the areas of personnel, program supports, academic supports, and student supports.;This program evaluation focused on one therapeutic alternative education program in central Alabama, referred to as Therapeutic Alternative Placement for Education or TAPE. An analysis of the qualitative data indicates that TAPE adheres with moderate fidelity to therapeutic alternative education best practices. Recommendations were made in the areas of staffing, professional development, vision and mission, collaboration, program evaluation, policies and procedures, school safety, student assessment, parent/guardian involvement, and school counseling.