| School districts throughout Texas are challenged to meet the requirements of Senate Bill 1 of 1995, Chapter 37, that districts provide alternative educational programs for students who are chronically behaviorally challenged. The conducted research study details the effectiveness of an off-campus Disciplinary Alternative Education Program developed in a rural, predominately Hispanic, south Texas school district to meet this challenge. The Disciplinary Alternative Education Program is a disciplinary learning environment that is more than just a custodial care atmosphere for disruptive students and includes an overall rehabilitative approach, targeting academic, behavioral, and social improvements.;The research study details an extensive program description of the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program and its strategies aimed at decreasing the amount of student's discipline referrals after participating in the complete program. The study also details perceptions of four identified shareholder population groups---students, parents, home campus teachers, and home campus administrators---that the program had on decreasing the amount of student discipline referrals after participation in the Disciplinary Alternative Education Program. The data collection procedures include an extensive review of the program's archival documents, the district's archival discipline student records, and the program's shareholders survey questionnaires.;The analysis of data provides information that should be useful for educators throughout the United States to implement a structured program for disruptive students in order decrease the amount of student discipline referrals after participating in a similar program designed to meet local needs. |
