The Beliefs and Practices of Disciplinary Alternative Education Program Leadership Teams: The Capacity to Care

• In Event: The Inner World of School Leaders: Caring, Morality, Ethics, and Spirituality

Abstract

The placement of behaviorally at-risk students to Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs) is on the rise in Texas. Despite the prevalence of this method of intervention, Texas DAEPs consistently fall short when meeting the needs of behaviorally at-risk students. NCLB requires that educators meet the needs of all students, yet this group of students continues to be ignored and underserved. In this paper, the authors explore how implementing the ethic of care through a distributed leadership model can be instrumental in addressing the social/emotional needs of students placed in a DAEP. An instrumental case study design allowed the authors to establish the components of caring leadership DAEP leaders can practice to create successful learning environments for behaviorally at-risk students.

Authors

• Chris Weiland, The University of Texas - San Antonio

• Elizabeth T. Murakami, The University of Texas - San Antonio