Date of Award

Spring 2021

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Education Policy, Planning, and Administration

Committee Chairperson

Merry Staulters, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Kathleen Riley, Ph.D.

Committee Member

Nancy Hirschinger Blank, Ph.D.

Abstract

This study explores the educators’ perspectives on their experiences providing academic services and supports to incarcerated youth placed in short-term juvenile detention centers and how they perceive success and challenges in this environment. The study used an explanatory sequential mixed-methods research design while incorporating tools such as a questionnaire, interviews, and reflective journal activities to get a deeper understanding of the experiences educators encounter in this role. The questionnaire consisted of 38 questions designed to address the demographics of the teachers participating in the study, their teaching experience with incarcerated youth, professional development received, and the challenges and successes they have encountered in their role. Participants who completed the questionnaire (n=6) received a prompt whether they would like to participate in the qualitative portion of the study, consisting of a series of three face-to-face interviews and three reflective journaling activities. Three participants contributed to both the quantitative and qualitative phases of the study. The data collected from these interviews and journal activities were coded using the constant comparative method identifying themes like challenges, successes, potential solutions, building relationships, racism, and more. In the end, the researcher was able to get a deeper understanding of these three educators’ perceptions of their experiences, challenges, and successes they encountered in their role in providing academic services and support to incarcerated youth in short-term detention centers.

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