The Elementary School Experiences Of At-risk Students In An Alternative School In South Carolina
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to understand the phenomenon relating to the elementary school experience of at-risk high school students. Specifically, this study examined the elementary experiences of 10 African American students attending an alternative school focused on credit recovery in South Carolina. The study used the South Carolina At-Risk Student Intervention Implementation Guide as a conceptual framework for identifying and classifying the academic, environmental, and psychological barriers experienced by the students. Findings reveal that many of the participants experienced academic, environmental, and psychological at-risk barriers during their elementary school years that contributed to the creation of a high school dropout trajectory. Findings suggest that although barriers were present during the elementary school years, they were more prevalent during middle and high school years.