FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
November 19, 2024
CONTACT:
Edie Surtees, Communications Director
512-407-2739
esurtees@drtx.org
School to dropout pipeline fueled by a common culprit
Educators can improve student outcomes with planning tool
HOUSTON—Sometimes students get off track. With the right tools and planning, educators can successfully help them get back on course.
C.L., a middle school student in Houston, spent the spring of 8th grade at an alternative placement campus where structure and guidance were the norm. Advancing to high school where he had less structure and guidance and without legally-required transition planning left him confused and anxious.
“He told me he was just winging it,” said his mom, R.P. “The school didn’t have any plan to help him transition to a new campus.”
C.L. ended up having an argument causing him to be suspended again and fall further behind in his classes. His mom said the school eventually created a transition plan, but she is worried that this additional setback is going to have serious consequences for his future.
Middle-schooler Robert from Houston attended classes at an alternative campus for a year before moving on to high school. In his case, his mom Elizabeth was pleased with his teachers for creating a transition plan that helped him successfully acclimate to his new educational environment.
State law requires schools to create transition plans to support students like C.L. and Robert who return to their regular school campus from disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs).
But a new report from Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) in collaboration with the Harris County School Reentry Workgroup (the Workgroup) reveals that many of these students are not receiving the support they need through appropriate transition planning.
“Transition Planning for Students in Alternative Education Programs” highlights the results of a year-long investigation by DRTx and the Workgroup that includes responses to public information requests from approximately 90 Texas school districts. The report shows a widespread shortfall of legally-required and -recommended transition planning for students returning from alternative education settings. It also provides solutions for educators including tools that educators can use to improve student outcomes.
Students who do not receive this critical support are at an increased risk of dropping out of school and more likely to end up in the criminal justice system than students who have not been placed in DAEPs. This grim outcome is further magnified for students with disabilities who are more than twice as likely to be suspended as other students. DAEP campuses differ greatly from regular campuses – in structure, coursework pace, instruction, and more. A student’s adjustment back to a regular campus can be challenging for all, and impossible for some when support isn’t provided.
“C.L.’s story is like thousands of other students who are seriously struggling after transitioning back to school from a disciplinary placement,” said Karmel Willis, DRTx Attorney. “Educators can change the trajectory of these students’ lives with appropriate transition planning. We believe this report will help schools to see the positive impact they can have by implementing these legally-mandated measures.”
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Disability Rights Texas (DRTx) is the federally designated legal protection and advocacy agency (P&A) for people with disabilities in Texas established in 1977. Its mission is to help people with disabilities understand and exercise their rights under the law, ensuring their full and equal participation in society.
The Harris Country School Reentry Workgroup is a consortium of 12 community-based organizations that includes DRTx. Its goal is to remove barriers to school reentry for youth returning to school from disciplinary and juvenile justice programs.