{"id":{"repo_id":"vt","oai_identifier":"oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/110065"},"canonical_url":"https://search.dev.ndltd.org/etd/vt/oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/110065","repository":{"repo_id":"vt","name":"Virginia Tech","base_url":"https://vtechworks.lib.vt.edu/oai/request"},"display":{"title":"Case Study of the Factors Contributing to Graduation from a Secondary Dropout Prevention Program","abstract":"The decision to drop out of high school can affect a person's life in many ways, as lifetime earnings, employment options, overall health, and the probability of incarceration are all negatively influenced when students drop out of school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of faculty, staff, parents, and high school graduates regarding factors leading to the high graduation rates of students in a dropout prevention program during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 school years. A total of 15 one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect data around participants' perceptions of how the application process; onboarding and orientation program; academic progress monitoring and interventions; and social, emotional, and mental health supports contributed to the program's high graduation rate. Data were reviewed, analyzed, and coded, resulting in emerging themes across the data set. Themes were then synthesized and aggregated into four findings. Findings indicated the advisor role and the student–advisor relationship, staff training in trauma-informed practices, staff collaboration, and providing a flexible and responsive program structure were factors influencing the high graduation rate of students in this dropout prevention program. These findings were used to develop four corresponding implications for district and school leaders to create and maintain structures where students are supported by at least one trusted adult, provide meaningful and consistent trauma-informed professional learning, create an environment where staff collaboration around student needs is a priority, and provide flexible schedules and options for students to positively affect student graduation from alternative educational settings.","abstract_html":"The decision to drop out of high school can affect a person's life in many ways, as lifetime earnings, employment options, overall health, and the probability of incarceration are all negatively influenced when students drop out of school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of faculty, staff, parents, and high school graduates regarding factors leading to the high graduation rates of students in a dropout prevention program during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 school years. A total of 15 one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect data around participants' perceptions of how the application process; onboarding and orientation program; academic progress monitoring and interventions; and social, emotional, and mental health supports contributed to the program's high graduation rate. Data were reviewed, analyzed, and coded, resulting in emerging themes across the data set. Themes were then synthesized and aggregated into four findings. Findings indicated the advisor role and the student–advisor relationship, staff training in trauma-informed practices, staff collaboration, and providing a flexible and responsive program structure were factors influencing the high graduation rate of students in this dropout prevention program. These findings were used to develop four corresponding implications for district and school leaders to create and maintain structures where students are supported by at least one trusted adult, provide meaningful and consistent trauma-informed professional learning, create an environment where staff collaboration around student needs is a priority, and provide flexible schedules and options for students to positively affect student graduation from alternative educational settings.","abstract_has_math":false,"creators":["Runkle, Marya Anne"],"institution":"Virginia Tech","degree_name":"Doctor of Education","degree_level":"doctoral","degree_discipline":"Educational Leadership and Policy Studies","degree_department":"Counselor Education","school":null,"contributors":[],"advisors":[],"committee_chairs":["Cash, Carol S."],"committee_members":["Brinkmann, Jodie Lynn","Gratto, John Robert","Holleb, Aimee Joy"],"year":2022,"date_issued":"2022-05-12","date_published":"2022-05-12","updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:00Z","subjects":["alternative programs","dropout prevention","trauma-informed practices"],"languages":["en"],"rights":["In Copyright"],"rights_urls":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"identifier_entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:34290"],"render_values":[{"text":"vt_gsexam:34290","href":null,"code":true}]}]},"links":{"outbound_url":"http://hdl.handle.net/10919/110065","outbound_label":"Handle","outbound_source":"dc:identifier.uri"},"metadata_groups":[{"id":"people","label":"People","entries":[{"key":"dc:contributor.committeechair","label":"Committee Chair","values":["Cash, Carol S."]},{"key":"dc:contributor.committeemember","label":"Committee Member","values":["Brinkmann, Jodie Lynn","Gratto, John Robert","Holleb, Aimee Joy"]},{"key":"dc:contributor.department","label":"Department","values":["Counselor Education"]},{"key":"dc:creator","label":"Author","values":["Runkle, Marya Anne"]}]},{"id":"academic_context","label":"Academic Context","entries":[{"key":"dc:date.accessioned","label":"Dc Date Accessioned","values":["2022-05-13T08:00:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.available","label":"Dc Date Available","values":["2022-05-13T08:00:12Z"]},{"key":"dc:date.issued","label":"Date","values":["2022-05-12"]},{"key":"dc:publisher","label":"Institution","values":["Virginia Tech"]},{"key":"dc:type","label":"Dc Type","values":["Dissertation"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_discipline","label":"Discipline","values":["Educational Leadership and Policy Studies"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_level","label":"Degree Level","values":["doctoral"]},{"key":"thesis:degree_name","label":"Degree Name","values":["Doctor of Education"]},{"key":"thesis:institution_name","label":"Thesis Institution Name","values":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]}]},{"id":"subjects_keywords","label":"Subjects and Keywords","entries":[{"key":"dc:subject","label":"Dc Subject","values":["alternative programs","dropout prevention","trauma-informed practices"]}]},{"id":"language_rights","label":"Language and Rights","entries":[{"key":"dc:language.iso","label":"Language (ISO)","values":["en"]},{"key":"dc:rights","label":"Dc Rights","values":["In Copyright"]},{"key":"dc:rights.uri","label":"Rights URI","values":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"]}]},{"id":"identifiers","label":"Identifiers","entries":[{"key":"dc:identifier.other","label":"Dc Identifier Other","values":["vt_gsexam:34290"]},{"key":"dc:identifier.uri","label":"Identifier URI","values":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/110065"]}]},{"id":"additional","label":"Additional Metadata","entries":[{"key":"dc:description.abstract","label":"Abstract","values":["The decision to drop out of high school can affect a person's life in many ways, as lifetime earnings, employment options, overall health, and the probability of incarceration are all negatively influenced when students drop out of school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of faculty, staff, parents, and high school graduates regarding factors leading to the high graduation rates of students in a dropout prevention program during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 school years. A total of 15 one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect data around participants' perceptions of how the application process; onboarding and orientation program; academic progress monitoring and interventions; and social, emotional, and mental health supports contributed to the program's high graduation rate. Data were reviewed, analyzed, and coded, resulting in emerging themes across the data set. Themes were then synthesized and aggregated into four findings. Findings indicated the advisor role and the student–advisor relationship, staff training in trauma-informed practices, staff collaboration, and providing a flexible and responsive program structure were factors influencing the high graduation rate of students in this dropout prevention program. These findings were used to develop four corresponding implications for district and school leaders to create and maintain structures where students are supported by at least one trusted adult, provide meaningful and consistent trauma-informed professional learning, create an environment where staff collaboration around student needs is a priority, and provide flexible schedules and options for students to positively affect student graduation from alternative educational settings."]},{"key":"dc:description.abstractgeneral","label":"General Abstract","values":["The decision to drop out of high school can affect a person's life in many ways, as lifetime earnings, employment options, overall health, and the probability of incarceration are all negatively influenced when students drop out of school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of faculty, staff, parents, and high school graduates regarding factors leading to the high graduation rates of students in a dropout prevention program during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 school years. A total of 15 one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect data around participants' perceptions of how the application process; onboarding and orientation program; academic progress monitoring and interventions; and social, emotional, and mental health supports contributed to the program's high graduation rate. Data were reviewed, analyzed, and coded, resulting in emerging themes across the data set. Themes were then synthesized and aggregated into four findings. Findings indicated the advisor role and the student–advisor relationship, staff training in trauma-informed practices, staff collaboration, and providing a flexible and responsive program structure were factors influencing the high graduation rate of students in this dropout prevention program. These findings were used to develop four corresponding implications for district and school leaders to create and maintain structures where students are supported by at least one trusted adult, provide meaningful and consistent trauma-informed professional learning, create an environment where staff collaboration around student needs is a priority, and provide flexible schedules and options for students to positively affect student graduation from alternative educational settings."]},{"key":"dc:description.degree","label":"Dc Description Degree","values":["Doctor of Education"]},{"key":"dc:format.medium","label":"Dc Format Medium","values":["ETD"]},{"key":"dc:title","label":"Title","values":["Case Study of the Factors Contributing to Graduation from a Secondary Dropout Prevention Program"]}]}],"canonical_facts":{"dc:contributor.committeechair":["Cash, Carol S."],"dc:contributor.committeemember":["Brinkmann, Jodie Lynn","Gratto, John Robert","Holleb, Aimee Joy"],"dc:contributor.department":["Counselor Education"],"dc:creator":["Runkle, Marya Anne"],"dc:date.accessioned":["2022-05-13T08:00:12Z"],"dc:date.available":["2022-05-13T08:00:12Z"],"dc:date.issued":["2022-05-12"],"dc:description.abstract":["The decision to drop out of high school can affect a person's life in many ways, as lifetime earnings, employment options, overall health, and the probability of incarceration are all negatively influenced when students drop out of school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of faculty, staff, parents, and high school graduates regarding factors leading to the high graduation rates of students in a dropout prevention program during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 school years. A total of 15 one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect data around participants' perceptions of how the application process; onboarding and orientation program; academic progress monitoring and interventions; and social, emotional, and mental health supports contributed to the program's high graduation rate. Data were reviewed, analyzed, and coded, resulting in emerging themes across the data set. Themes were then synthesized and aggregated into four findings. Findings indicated the advisor role and the student–advisor relationship, staff training in trauma-informed practices, staff collaboration, and providing a flexible and responsive program structure were factors influencing the high graduation rate of students in this dropout prevention program. These findings were used to develop four corresponding implications for district and school leaders to create and maintain structures where students are supported by at least one trusted adult, provide meaningful and consistent trauma-informed professional learning, create an environment where staff collaboration around student needs is a priority, and provide flexible schedules and options for students to positively affect student graduation from alternative educational settings."],"dc:description.abstractgeneral":["The decision to drop out of high school can affect a person's life in many ways, as lifetime earnings, employment options, overall health, and the probability of incarceration are all negatively influenced when students drop out of school. The purpose of this qualitative case study was to investigate the perceptions of faculty, staff, parents, and high school graduates regarding factors leading to the high graduation rates of students in a dropout prevention program during the 2017–2018 and 2018–2019 school years. A total of 15 one-on-one interviews were conducted to collect data around participants' perceptions of how the application process; onboarding and orientation program; academic progress monitoring and interventions; and social, emotional, and mental health supports contributed to the program's high graduation rate. Data were reviewed, analyzed, and coded, resulting in emerging themes across the data set. Themes were then synthesized and aggregated into four findings. Findings indicated the advisor role and the student–advisor relationship, staff training in trauma-informed practices, staff collaboration, and providing a flexible and responsive program structure were factors influencing the high graduation rate of students in this dropout prevention program. These findings were used to develop four corresponding implications for district and school leaders to create and maintain structures where students are supported by at least one trusted adult, provide meaningful and consistent trauma-informed professional learning, create an environment where staff collaboration around student needs is a priority, and provide flexible schedules and options for students to positively affect student graduation from alternative educational settings."],"dc:description.degree":["Doctor of Education"],"dc:format.medium":["ETD"],"dc:identifier.other":["vt_gsexam:34290"],"dc:identifier.uri":["http://hdl.handle.net/10919/110065"],"dc:language.iso":["en"],"dc:publisher":["Virginia Tech"],"dc:rights":["In Copyright"],"dc:rights.uri":["http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/"],"dc:subject":["alternative programs","dropout prevention","trauma-informed practices"],"dc:title":["Case Study of the Factors Contributing to Graduation from a Secondary Dropout Prevention Program"],"dc:type":["Dissertation"],"thesis:degree_discipline":["Educational Leadership and Policy Studies"],"thesis:degree_level":["doctoral"],"thesis:degree_name":["Doctor of Education"],"thesis:institution_name":["Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University"]},"updated_at":"2026-07-22T22:19:00Z"}