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A growing number of students are attending schools having suffered adversechildhood experiences (ACEs) in their lives. These ACEs cause traumatic stress that cannegatively affect student relationships (van der Kolk, 2014), behaviors (Gallagher, 2014),and academic achievement (Anda et al., 2006). The purpose of this study was todetermine the effect of implementing a Trauma Sensitive Schools (TSS) model at amiddle school on student academic achievement, behavioral referrals, attendance, anddays missed due to out-of-school suspension. Data measuring these variables of studentsin one middle school in a suburban school district in Kansas City were collected for theyear before implementation, the year of implementation, and the year afterimplementation. The results of the study showed that there are differences in studentacademic achievement after the implementation of a TSS model. Student achievement inmathematics and English language arts increased, while student scores in scienceremained the same. The effect on student behavioral referrals showed an increase inmajor and minor referrals throughout the study, as well as an increase in student daysmissed due to out-of-school suspension. The school and the district need to continue toprovide professional development for the staff about the effects of trauma, how todeescalate student response to stimuli, and how to provide systems and structures to helpmake the school a safer place for students with a history of trauma. Additionally, schoolleaders should consider collecting and analyzing survey data from the teachers andstudents to adapt the model for their specific population. Finally, changing disciplinestrategies to match the new culture might further increase the positive effect ofimplementing a TSS model. |
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