Evaluation of an alternate education program for students with behaviour problems

• Main Author: Reid, Sharon Lyn
• Language: English
• Published: University of British Columbia 2010
• Online Access: http://hdl.handle.net/2429/25209

This thesis is a report of the first evaluation study of an alternate education program in the Surrey School District, province of British Columbia. Alternate programs are generally directed towards behaviour remediation, upgrading basic skills, and school reintegration for students suspended from regular classes. The Newton Junior Alternate Program (NJAP) was established with these goals in mind in 1978. The evaluation purpose was to provide NJAP staff with a complete systematic description of program operation — its antecedents, transactions and outcomes. This description is the basis for the set of recommendations prepared to aid future planning. The eclectic evaluation design developed for this study permitted a comparison between program intentions and actual occurrences. A descriptive matrix modelled after Stake (1967) was used as the framework for this comparison. To help formulate the evaluation questions, a general program description was prepared prior to the evaluation (February 1, 1981 to June 1, 1981). Several methods of data collection were used to avoid bias and error possible with single method approaches. The various sources of information and data were 22 students, three program staff members, 18 regular teachers, three administrators, and 12 parents. Qualitative and quantitative data were collected from above samples using semi-structured interviews, questionnaires, observation checklists, and achievement and attitude tests. The obtained information and data were summarized in terms of frequencies and percentages, and where appropriate, by means and standard deviations. With the exception of attendance, program goals were achieved for students who remained enrolled. However nine students were suspended. Ten students were reintegrated into regular classes at the end of the school year. Problems noted in the program maybe partially attributed to the fact that guidelines for student placement were not followed. === Education, Faculty of === Educational and Counselling Psychology, and Special Education (ECPS), Department of === Graduate