On the Margins: An Examination of Students With Disabilities in Alternative Schools

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Friday 1:30 pm Four Seasons Ballroom 1
  In Roundtable Session: Power, Politics, and Paradigms: Examining Disability Knowledge in Educational Contexts (Table 10)

Abstract

Though alternative schools began as another avenue for students who needed education tailored to their unique needs, they are now commonly used as exclusionary discipline to relegate students with disciplinary and academic concerns. Alternate schools are focused on students considered “at-risk” and most commonly serve students considered to have behavioral concerns. However, there are questions as to the effectiveness of these schools as places of education rather than solely forms of exclusion, as well as the overrepresentation of students at the intersection of race and disability. This study uses national longitudinal data to explore student-level factors that contribute to alternative school placement, and the extent to which attending these schools allow students the opportunity to attain a high school diploma.

Authors

• María Virginia Giani, University of Florida

• Christopher Redding, University of Florida