The self-contained classroom model: A means of gaining success for middle level students in danger of academic failure

The purpose of this study was to examine the effectiveness of the General Education Program, a self-contained classroom variation of the school within a school model located in the Goodrich Middle School in Lincoln, Nebraska. The method of research was a quantitative ex-post facto study utilizing chi-square and split plot multiple analyses of variance to examine the effect general education had on achievement and credits earned upon a sample of 142 academically at-risk students who had matriculated in this program. Data were gathered from existing school records. The results of the investigation demonstrated that there was a significant difference at the.05 level of significance in academic credit earned by students before and after they entered the general education program. There was also a significant difference at the.05 level of significance in students\u27 language achievement before and after they entered the general education program. However there was no significant difference at the.05 level of significance in students\u27 reading achievement, math achievement, and social studies achievement before and after they entered the general education program. There was also no significant difference at the.05 level of significance in academic credit or achievement in reading, language, math or social studies when comparing males and females before and after they entered the general education program. There also was a question raised about the content and construct validity of the test used, the California Achievement Test (1985) when it was used in assessing the achievement of academically at-risk students. It was suggested that the nature of studies done on at-risk students be considered because criteria used to estimate change or progress might not be in concert with the method and content of instruction