Content area
Abstract
The purpose for conducting this qualitative study was to explore and describe the major characteristics of the in-school-suspension program (ISS) used at the eight middle schools in a midwestern school district. The focus of this study included how participants viewed the strengths and weaknesses of their ISS program.
This study, which was conducted during 1993 and 1994, used a multi-site case study qualitative design. Data were obtained through a review of literature, informant interviews, multiple observations, review of educational documents, and researcher's notes collected in a field log.
The methodology used was a multi-site case study because of the potential, through cross analysis, for providing greater explanation of the findings in the study (Merriam, 1990).
There were three stages of data analysis. The first stage involved analysis of the data from each individual site to identify key ideas. The second stage, cross-site analysis, was undertaken to categorize information into key ideas to explain the phenomena. The third stage uncovered characteristics or components that were present across sites and provided a framework to describe the ISS program. As the analysis continued, it became evident that more information was needed. Additional interviews added more information that was integrated with previous data. Data analysis was an on-going process guided by methodology suggested by Yin (1989) and by Merriam (1990).
This study discovered five characteristics about this school district's middle schools ISS program. (1) In-school suspension programs have flexible resource requirements; they can be supported successfully by a wide range of facilities and equipment. (2) In-school suspension programs are supported by parents, primarily because students are still being educated and supervised, rather than being out of school and unsupervised. (3) In-school suspension programs are consistent with the educational needs of middle-level students; these programs provide the structure and adult support that such students need. (4) In-school suspension programs are an effective consequence for middle-level students, because these students tend to dislike isolation from their peers. (5) In-school suspension programs are an intermediate step in the disciplinary process since such programs keep students in school, but away from settings where they might be disruptive.
These results are potentially useful for understanding ISS program characteristics and transferring the information to similar school districts designing ISS programs so that these programs can be used more effectively in solving the discipline problems facing middle level administrators and teachers.
