Using Wraparound Services: A Case Study of a Low-Income African American Career Academy

• In Event: Collaborations, Motivation, and Student Success in Career and Technical Education

Abstract

The study purpose was to explore how a school, in a low-income area with a predominantly African American/Black population, adopted and enacted wraparound services. The setting was an urban high school with a small enrollment of 700 students who are predominantly African American (98%) and 100% low-income. Using a case study design, we documented how stakeholders approached wraparound services. We found that the adoption of wraparound services built on the belief that the school should serve as a central place of support for students and the community. We also identified in-school supports for students and services to help families in the community, and an underlying philosophy of removing obstacles for students as a means to help them succeed in school.

Authors

• Victor M Hernandez-Gantes, University of South Florida

• Edward Charles Fletcher, The Ohio State University - Columbus