Date of Award

2022

Document Type

Dissertation

Degree Name

Doctor of Education (EdD)

Department

Educational Leadership and Policy Studies

First Advisor

Tammy Kolbe

Abstract

Nationally, there is a mounting interest in better understanding students identified as having an emotional disturbance. Since 2005, clinical diagnosis and treatment of mental health issues in children has trended upward. Nationally, over that same timeframe, the number of students who qualify for special education due to an emotional disturbance (ED) has stayed relatively level while the percentage has been increasing in Vermont. Despite a greater awareness about how various circumstances and events, such as adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) affect children’s mental health, emotional disturbance is still not well understood.

The purpose of this study is to examine factors affecting the variability among Vermont supervisory unions of the number of students identified as having an emotional disturbance and highlight the possibility of non-population-based factors associated with identification and classification of students.

Results indicate a relationship between community factors such as food insecurity, self-reported mental and physical distress, and lack of medical insurance and the percent of students identified as having an emotional disturbance. Results also suggest a relationship between student factors such as percent of students who are English Language Learners and the percent of students identified as having an emotional disturbance.

Language

en

Number of Pages

86 p.

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