A Qualitative Analysis of Student Alumni Reflective Adult Perceptions of the Impact of a Just Community School ( ) Jacqueline Horan, M.A. 1, Ann Higgins-D’Alessandro, Ph.D. 1, Elizabeth Vozzola, Ph.D. 2, & Judy Rosen, M.A. 1 Fordham University, 2 St. Joseph College Introduction Informed by Kohlberg’s moral education theory, in which development is the primary goal of education, the Scarsdale Alternative School (A-School) is a Just Community school-within-a-school. The A-School was created in 1972 for grades The school builds community and encourages justice through democratic institutions, such as weekly community meetings, advisory groups, a fairness committee, and an agenda committee. Community—ownership for the governance of one’s own group—plays a prominent role in the A-School for all students and teachers, as shared responsibilities are the foundation of the school. The Just Community is a developmental and democratic approach to education that incorporates Dewey’s active learning ideas and Durkheim's insight into the vital role a group's authority plays in developing respect for rules, solidarity, and a community of trust. However, Just Community schools democratize discipline and sanctions focus on reintegration into the community. This is the first study that seeks to understand former students' adult reflections on the impact of the A- School. The results obtained allow for an in-depth examination and understanding of the success of the A-School, which gives insight into Just Communities, an important intervention within the field of moral and democratic education. Specifically, MethodResults (continued) Discussion  The majority of student alumni reported that their experience at the A-School had a significant impact on their adult understanding of and participation in the democratic processes that made them think about themselves, democratic governance, and the world differently: Preliminary analyses of the data collected from these student alumni suggest that the implementaton of the Just Community structures at the A-School resulted not only in meeting the core Just Community goals of promoting students’ moral development and transforming the moral atmosphere of the school into a moral community, but also continues to influence their conceptions of self, democracy, and the world long after they have left the school. “It gave me a chance to understand democratic governance at a scale at which I could see the immediate impact of a community member’s decisions and the decisions of the community as a whole.” “Making a difference and impacting lives is far more compelling than being a sponge.” Table 1: Participant Demographics Demographic CharacteristicsN = 162 Age Range (in years) Mean Age (in years)33.07 Gender Male35.5% Female64.5% Race/Ethnicity White/Non-Hispanic86.4% Asian/Pacific Islander3.1% Black/African American1.2% Hispanic/Latino0.6% Other/Unspecified8.7% All student alumni who graduated between were invited to participate in an online questionnaire regarding their tenure at the A-School and current work and community experiences. Participants included 162 student alumni with 103 answering some or all open-ended questions. Quantitative questions included demographic information and rankings of the Just Community structures on their moral identity development. Open- ended questions asked participants to elaborate on the long-term impacts of specific components of the A- School’s educational theory. A grounded theory approach was used to analyze the qualitative data.  Reflections on the influence of specific A-School structures and curriculum  The influence of experiences at the A-School on perspectives of the self, democratic governance, and the world  Commitment to community and community service  Powerful learning experiences while at the A- School and throughout their lifetime Results Results (continued) Table 2: Student Alumni Rankings of Just Community Components’ Helpfulness to their Growth as an Ethical Person RankComponentMeanRanked #1Ranked #2 1Community Meeting Core Group Advisor Relationship Academic Class Fairness Committee Internship Community Service Orientation Graduation  Students alumni provided perceptions on the Just Community Structures that had the most impact on their moral development: “Community meeting…The realization that we, as students, had power…That we’re not just passively receiving an education that’s being dictated to us, but instead, we were actually shaping, controlling, and participating--not just in what we learned, but with whom we learned it and how.” “My experience at the A-School was invaluable. I came into my own, so to speak. I took direction in following my interests, and creatively fulfilling my goals. I realized I was the director of my life, and what happened was the result of my own doing. This is a most meaningful lesson for a teenager.”  Of student alumni who described their most powerful learning experience, 25.3% reported an experience during their tenure at the A-School 1-5 hrs None 6-10 hrs 16+ hrs hrs  77.7% of student alumni reported participating in community service activities on a monthly basis, including volunteer work with nonprofit organizations, international relief and aid, and political activism  16.3% of student alumni committed to community service reported providing international humanitarian aid and services and related their motivation to do so to the A-School Community Service per Month  35.0% of student alumni responses indicated that their experiences at the A-School positively affected character development through increasing self-confidence and self-esteem, gaining voice and leadership skills, and feeling empowered  Student alumni responses reflected an increased appreciation for perspective-taking, listening to others, and community  When asked about the effect of the A-School on current actions and decisions, student alumni indicated an appreciation for the community as a whole, knowledge of consensus building procedures, realization that the actions of the individual affect the group, and commitment to community service “The idea of empowerment, of trust, of individual and collective responsibility. The notion that we can make things more just by taking into account the effect on everyone.”