Dissertation
Understanding Pennsylvania's alternate education referral process: the impact of trauma informed education and educator perceptions of safety
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.), Drexel University
Jun 2023
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17918/00001947
Abstract
The purpose of this case study was to understand if a relationship exists between how Pennsylvania educators perceive environmental safety and their rates of alternate education placement referrals in our schools. Educator participants included teachers from two public districts who have worked with a student(s) referred to alternate placement within the past three years. This case study sought to understand educator perceptions of safety as well as their expertise and implementation of trauma-informed practices. This research study was grounded in trauma theory (Van Der Kolk, 2014), and designed utilizing a trauma-informed (Bloom, 2013), neuroscientific (Perry, 2021) lens. The primary research question that guided this study was, "How do PA educators describe the relationship between safety and alternate placement?" Three sub-questions include: 1) "How do educators define and describe safety in the educational setting?" 2) "What is the relationship between the implementation of trauma-informed practices in an educator's institution and educator perceptions of safety?" 3) "What is the relationship between educator perceptions of safety, expertise and implementation of trauma informed care, and the utilization of alternate placement referrals?" Three themes emerged from the data, including control, relationships, and support. The findings of this study revealed a need for mutuality as a shared factor within each of the three themes. Ultimately, the research identified two different models of teacher-student relationships: a model of mutualism and a model of unilateralism. Data indicates those who institute a model of mutualism share elements of control, provide mutual (and unconditional) respect, communication, and trust, and yield fewer alternate placement referrals than those who use a unilateral approach to working with students. Additionally, this research finds that the content of trauma training has a more significant impact on an educator's perceptions of safety than the number of trauma training hours the teacher receives. School administrators, superintendents and local/state policy makers can benefit from the study's findings incorporating them into both policy and practice guidelines.
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Details
- Title
- Understanding Pennsylvania's alternate education referral process
- Creators
- Maryann McEvoy
- Contributors
- Peggy Kong (Advisor)Christina M. Vorndran (Advisor)
- Awarding Institution
- Drexel University
- Degree Awarded
- Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
- Publisher
- Drexel University; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
- Number of pages
- 115 pages
- Resource Type
- Dissertation
- Language
- English
- Academic Unit
- School of Education (1997-2026); Drexel University
- Other Identifier
- 991021862013804721