Transition Supports for At-Risk Students: A Case Example.

Middle school students with emotional and behavioral disorders are at risk for myriad negative outcomes. Transitioning between schools may increase risk for students being reintegrated into their neighborhood school. The current study seeks to inform supports for students and their families during these transitions. Students With Involved Families and Teachers (SWIFT) is an initiative being conducted in a small urban area in the Pacific Northwest, USA. Parent, student, and school-based supports were provided across a yearlong transition for students receiving special education services in a behavioral day-treatment program. A case example is used to describe the essential features of SWIFT, illustrate the experience of a student and his family, and outline lessons learned for successful home-school collaboration.