Christian Science Monitor Examines Threats To Specialty Schools For Teenage Moms

Main Category: Women's Health / Gynecology
Also Included In: Pediatrics / Children's Health;  Pregnancy / Obstetrics
Article Date: 02 May 2008 - 9:00 PDT

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The Christian Science Monitor on Wednesday examined how funding shortfalls, concerns about education equality and changing social mores are threatening alternative schools that cater to pregnant and parenting teenagers.

About one-third of all girls who drop out of high school cite motherhood as the reason, the Monitor reports. Under Title IX, schools must allow pregnant and parenting students to stay in school and provide them with the same accommodations as students with temporary disabilities. However, Wendy Luttrell, a professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, said these services are often the first to be cut from school budgets.

According to the Monitor, specialty schools for pregnant and parenting teens have declined since the early 1990s, when the concept of "mainstreaming" this demographic became popular. Last year, New York City closed its "P-Schools" for pregnant teens, which at the time of closure enrolled about 343 of the city's estimated 7,000 pregnant and parenting students. Luttrell said she supported the decision to close the "P-Schools" because of the city's high level of social services and because research had shown that the quality of education was not as high as standard schools. However, Luttrell said that she has opposed similar closings in North Carolina because of limited access to social services.

There have not been any nationwide studies about whether mainstreaming is more beneficial for pregnant and parenting students, the Monitor reports. The Healthy Teen Network is currently conducting a three-year study that aims to determine the academic quality of specialty schools. Pat Paluzzi, president of the Healthy Teen Network, said, "One of the biggest advantages of the alternative schools is they understand that the girls are pregnant and needed to have absences," adding, "They might have better graduation rates, (but) I'm not sure their programs have as good academics."

The Monitor profiled the financial struggles of Marian Pritchett High School in Boise, Idaho. The school, which has 45 students, provides day care, government aid, counseling and other basic needs. It has maintained a graduation rate of 80% to 92% over the past several years, with about half of the girls going on to college or junior college. According to the Monitor, the school might lose social services because of shrinking state grants. Principal Deborah Hedden-Nicely said she is hoping from increased support from alumni and other groups. "We want educated, successful, independent people and families out there who are contributing to communities," Hedden-Nicely said, adding, "When these programs go away, there's going to be a lot of girls left in the dust" (Arnoldy, Christian Science Monitor, 4/30).

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