East Lake Schools to Revamp Dropout, Behavioral Programs

Pinellas County School Board members want to see the district do a better job in handling troubled students.

Specifically, board members want the district improve the way it handles disruptive kids and those who are at risk for dropping out.

A recent countywide review of programs geared toward troubled kids showed the district’s programs are not used as much as they could be, The Tampa Tribune reported. To remedy that, the district hopes to add programs meant to get students who have fallen off track back on grade level faster. It also wants to boost its technical education programs.

Plans are also in the works to revamp programs that target kids who are chronically disruptive in classrooms.

School Board Vice Chairwoman Peggy O’Shea said these kids can be the most difficult to help because it’s often hard to determine when they should be pulled out of mainstream classrooms and placed into alternative programs.

“Maybe we need to open up more spaces, if that’s what it takes, in the schools and that will help move us along faster to get these kids in other programs if that’s where they belong,” The Tribune quoted O’Shea as saying. “We need to do whatever we can to get them on track and excite them. Whatever it takes.”

Read The Tribune’s full story here.

What do you think is needed to help schools reach troubled and disruptive students in Tarpon Springs? Share your ideas by commenting below.

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