EBD Blog

The report of a board meeting of a South Dakota local education agency shows that the LEA plans to create a middle school program for students with Emotional and Behavioral Disorders.

Parents, students, teachers, administrators, school board members — nearly everyone involved with the Yankton School District claims its [sic] one of the best public-education systems in South Dakota. And after approval from the Yankton School Board during Monday night’s meeting, the district is preparing to boost this reputation during the 2005-06 school year by establishing a program for emotionally disturbed students at the middle-school level.

Sadly, it sounds like there are students who really need help. Joyce Wentworth, director of student services for the school district, is quoted as saying, “Those who started at Beadle [elementary school] are now in high school and are literally falling apart. I don’t think many of them will graduate.”

I hope that the program focuses on evidence-based practices.