This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of former students with EBD who attended a non-traditional high school. Eight semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to understand how students experienced emotional and academic supports during high school and throughout the transition into adulthood. Results revealed that participants appreciated attending a non-traditional school for its school connectedness, emotional and instructional supports, and school-based counseling. Additionally, findings suggest the school did not prepare them for the transition to post-secondary life. These findings suggest that emotional and academic support for students with EBD in non-traditional high school settings positively affected students’ sense of success in high school. However, limited support during the transition to post-secondary living left students unprepared to lead productive, satisfying adult lives.
","abstract_html":"<p>This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of former students with EBD who attended a non-traditional high school. Eight semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to understand how students experienced emotional and academic supports during high school and throughout the transition into adulthood. Results revealed that participants appreciated attending a non-traditional school for its school connectedness, emotional and instructional supports, and school-based counseling. Additionally, findings suggest the school did not prepare them for the transition to post-secondary life. These findings suggest that emotional and academic support for students with EBD in non-traditional high school settings positively affected students’ sense of success in high school. However, limited support during the transition to post-secondary living left students unprepared to lead productive, satisfying adult lives.</p>","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["De Rose, Kristen"],"institution":null,"degree_name":"Ed.D. Doctor of Education","degree_level":"Dissertation - Public Access","degree_discipline":"Disability and Equity in Education","degree_department":null,"school":null,"contributors":["Molly Buren","Antonina Lukenchuk","Laura Schmuldt"],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":[],"committee_members":[],"year":2026,"date_issued":"2026-04-01T07:00:00Z","date_published":"2026-04-01T07:00:00Z","updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:46Z","subjects":["EBD","Phenomenology","Bronfenbrenner","Transition","Post-Secondary","Non-Traditional School","Counseling","Disability Studies","Other Education","Secondary Education and Teaching","Special Education and Teaching","Student Counseling and Personnel Services"],"languages":[],"rights":[],"rights_urls":[],"identifier_entries":[]},"links":{"outbound_url":"https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/977","outbound_label":"Repository record","outbound_source":"dc:identifier"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor","label":"Contributor","values":["Molly Buren","Antonina Lukenchuk","Laura Schmuldt"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["De Rose, Kristen"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2026-05-02T07:00:00Z"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Disability and Equity in Education"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["Dissertation - Public Access"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["EBD","Phenomenology","Bronfenbrenner","Transition","Post-Secondary","Non-Traditional School","Counseling","Disability Studies","Other Education","Secondary Education and Teaching","Special Education and Teaching","Student Counseling and Personnel Services"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier","label":"Identifier","values":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/977"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of former students with EBD who attended a non-traditional high school. Eight semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to understand how students experienced emotional and academic supports during high school and throughout the transition into adulthood. Results revealed that participants appreciated attending a non-traditional school for its school connectedness, emotional and instructional supports, and school-based counseling. Additionally, findings suggest the school did not prepare them for the transition to post-secondary life. These findings suggest that emotional and academic support for students with EBD in non-traditional high school settings positively affected students’ sense of success in high school. However, limited support during the transition to post-secondary living left students unprepared to lead productive, satisfying adult lives.
"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["“I Should’ve Listened!”: Lived Experiences of Postsecondary Transitions Among Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders from Non-Traditional High Schools"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor":["Molly Buren","Antonina Lukenchuk","Laura Schmuldt"],"dc:creator":["De Rose, Kristen"],"dc:date.available":["2026-05-02T07:00:00Z"],"dc:description.abstract":["This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of former students with EBD who attended a non-traditional high school. Eight semi-structured individual interviews were conducted to understand how students experienced emotional and academic supports during high school and throughout the transition into adulthood. Results revealed that participants appreciated attending a non-traditional school for its school connectedness, emotional and instructional supports, and school-based counseling. Additionally, findings suggest the school did not prepare them for the transition to post-secondary life. These findings suggest that emotional and academic support for students with EBD in non-traditional high school settings positively affected students’ sense of success in high school. However, limited support during the transition to post-secondary living left students unprepared to lead productive, satisfying adult lives.
"],"dc:identifier":["https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/977"],"dc:subject":["EBD","Phenomenology","Bronfenbrenner","Transition","Post-Secondary","Non-Traditional School","Counseling","Disability Studies","Other Education","Secondary Education and Teaching","Special Education and Teaching","Student Counseling and Personnel Services"],"dc:title":["“I Should’ve Listened!”: Lived Experiences of Postsecondary Transitions Among Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders from Non-Traditional High Schools"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Disability and Equity in Education"],"thesis:degree_level":["Dissertation - Public Access"],"thesis:degree_name":["Ed.D. Doctor of Education"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-24T03:21:46Z"}