Date of Conferral
5-14-2024
Date of Award
May 2024
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Donald Poplau
Abstract
The application of exclusionary discipline practices among students with disabilities (SWDs) receiving special education (SPED) services is a widespread concern. In a local school district in Texas, SWDs receiving special education services are experiencing higher rates of disciplinary exclusions than the state’s acceptable total disciplinary removals rate. The purpose of this basic qualitative project study was to investigate the possible reasons for higher rates of disciplinary exclusions among SWDs receiving special education services. The conceptual framework was Skinner’s operant conditioning theory. The research questions focused on local school administrators’ perceptions of the possible reasons for higher rates of disciplinary exclusions among SWDs receiving special education services and administrators’ recommendations for addressing the higher rates. A purposeful sample of eight school administrators participated in individual semistructured interviews. The data were analyzed to identify six themes: insufficient professional development and training, not implementing students’ behavior intervention plans, lack of proper diagnosis of disabilities and inadequate support, failure to follow discipline protocol for SWDs, administrators’ alternative approaches to exclusionary discipline, and factors contributing to success and replication strategies. Findings may provide local school administrators with a better approach to reducing the rate of disciplinary exclusions among SWDs receiving special education services.
Recommended Citation
Hooks, Lauren MacKenzie, "School Administrators’ Perceptions of Possible Reasons Contributing to High Rates of Disciplinary Exclusion for Special Education Students" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15798.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15798
