2020-2021 EDAI Reporting Summary
In 2020-2021, we asked schools to describe how their program served historically underrepresented populations, including supports for students with disabilities or students receiving special education while at Outdoor School.
Schools reported that students with behavior plans and who required paraprofessional supports attended outdoor school, as did students with mobility limitations that required assistive staff or technology, and/or specialized instruction. Medically fragile students required specialized care also attended outdoor school. Schools reported they frequently communicated with parents and IEP team members.
In 2020-2021, we also began asking if schools had reached out to their Title 6/Native Program or local Tribe in connection to outdoor school.
12% yes
87% no
In 2020-2021, we asked schools a yes/no question about whether they served ELL students, and provided a drop-down menu of the types of supports provided if they answered “yes”.
92 schools reported that ELL students attended outdoor school, and that they provided interpretation services or language aides, provided translated materials for students and/or bilingual instructors or volunteers. As well, some schools had bilingual parents and chaperones attend.
In 2020-2021, We asked schools to select all of the historically underrepresented populations served by their outdoor school programs with a yes/no question and whether they instructed and/or supported these populations of students: Rural learners, low SES students, American Indian or Alaska Native students, Asian students, Pacific Islander students, Black/African American students, Hispanic/Latin(x) students, Middle Eastern/North African students, or Gender non-conforming/LGBTQ+ students. This year, we also provided an optional text box for schools to provide additional information related to supports for these populations of students.
58% of schools supported and instructed rural learners
92% of schools supported and instructed low SES students
61% of schools indicated they supported homeless/houseless students (2020-2021 was the first year we collected this data)
45% of schools reported supporting and instructing American Indian and Alaska Native Students
51% of schools reported supporting and instructing Asian students
41% of schools reported supporting and instructing Pacific Islander students
60% of schools reported supporting and instructing Black/African-American students
83% of schools reported supporting and instructing Hispanic/LatinX students
32% of schools reported supporting and instructing Middle Eastern/North African students
58% of schools reported supporting and instructing Gender non-conforming/LGBTQ+ students