Program Evaluation and Replications of School-Based Mental Health Services and Family-Community Interventions with Chronically Disruptive Students

Although outcomes for alternative schools may be mixed, it is generally agreed that counseling, therapy, group work, case management, and familycommunity involvement have been credited in some effective programs. is study examined program evaluations from 1994-1999 for an alternative school for chronically disruptive students (599 students, ages 9-22) that was funded by a state grant to assure safer, drug-free public schools. School-based mental health services were mandated by the grant. Annual program evaluations and positive outcomes were necessary for continued funding by the state. Psychosocial (self-esteem, depression, locus of control, and life skills) and educational outcomes (grade point averages and attendance) were examined at entry and exit. In addition, 90and 180-day follow-ups were conducted for educational outcomes. Although educational outcomes improved during assignment to the alternative school (greater than 70% passing), in the 90and 180-day follow-ups student grade point averages improved but were not passing. Notably, student dropout for alternative students was an average of 8% 180 days after the assignment compared to the school district’s 45% dropout rate. e focus of this study was to determine whether the alternative school was a viable family-community intervention for improving social functioning and educational achievement for chronically disruptive students, whether these interventions were effective in improving school safety, and whether the program missions were consistently accomplished during the five years of implementation and one year follow-up based on the program evaluations. THE SCHOOL COMMUNITY JOURNAL 38 PROGRAM EVALUATION REPLICATIONS 39