School Connectedness Insights for Teachers Educating Youth with a Severe Emotional Disturbance in Residential Treatment

Connectedness to school has important implications for students identified with an emotional disturbance (ED), as they are a high-risk group for dropout. Whether and how feelings of school connectedness change within students with ED is important knowledge for educators providing services to students in alternative settings, and to regular public school teachers working with students who have transitioned from an alternative setting. In the present case study, changes in school connectedness were assessed for 17 youth with ED in a residential treatment facility and a follow-up interview with the school principal provided insights into the possible reasons behind this change. Results and discussion focus on the significant increase in school connectedness over time and themes regarding teacher-student relationships and teachers’ personalities.