Examining the Role of K-12 School Instability Among Formerly Incarcerated College Students

• In Event: The School-Prison Nexus: Causes and Effects

Abstract

The current mixed-methods study investigated the experiences of multiply-marginalized students with disabilities and their knowledge of their rights and services as Special Education students in the hopes of identifying potential causes of disproportionate discipline and poor academic outcomes. The preliminary findings of our study yielded an unexpected and overwhelming presence of school instability as a common experience among formerly incarcerated college students with learning challenges as they recounted their K-12 experience. The participants’ stories and experiences highlight the need for schools and systems (foster care, child welfare, juvenile carceral settings) to work collaboratively to promote school permanency and support for the most underserved students.

Author

• Cynthia Valencia-Ayala, University of California - San Francisco