“I Should’ve Listened!”: Lived Experiences of Postsecondary Transitions Among Students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders from Non-Traditional High Schools

<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>

Name thesis:degree_name

Ed.D. Doctor of Education

Level thesis:degree_level

Dissertation - Public Access

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Disability and Equity in Education

Year dc:date.available

2026

Author dc:creator

• De Rose, Kristen

Contributors dc:contributor

• Molly Buren
• Antonina Lukenchuk
• Laura Schmuldt

• 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

Repository record dc:identifier

https://digitalcommons.nl.edu/diss/977

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:digitalcommons.nl.edu:diss-2049