# Trauma-informed care in alternative education settings: Educators’ lived experiences

Published in[Phoenix Scholar](/research/publications/phoenix-scholar.html)  
[Volume 9 Issue 1, Page 58](/research/publications/phoenix-scholar/vol-9-issue-1.html), Fall, 2026

https://doi.org/10.64657/VLQR2743

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## Author

Jar’Mel Taylor, Ed.D.

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## Abstract

Alternative education settings disproportionately serve Black and Brown adolescents who experience high rates of trauma associated with poverty, community violence, housing instability, and systemic racism. Although trauma-informed care (TIC) has received increasing attention within educational research, limited scholarship has examined how educators in alternative education settings experience and implement TIC in practice. Consequently, TIC implementation remains inconsistent, leaving educators to address complex student needs without sufficient training, resources, or systemic support. This manuscript draws on a qualitative, exploratory case study using purposive sampling to recruit 17 educators, administrators, and social workers across the greater Washington, D.C., metropolitan area who had direct experience implementing TIC in alternative education settings. Six themes emerged: challenges in implementing TIC, positive behavioral and academic transformations, effective practices, integration with traditional methods, the evolution of TIC over time, and stakeholder perceptions of students. Findings underscore the need for culturally responsive, systemic TIC approaches that prioritize trust-building, professional development, and intersectional awareness. Recommendations for practitioners, administrators, and policymakers are offered.

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