At Kindred, we believe effective design starts with deep listening. During the analysis phase, we combined our classroom experience with lived insights from educators who support students assigned to Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs). By engaging directly with those on the front lines, we uncovered not just the policies, but the real-world complexities that shape every day in these environments.

Business Problem & Learning Gap

Exclusionary discipline practices vary widely, leading to inconsistent expectations for teachers who work with students in DAEPs. In SBISD, home campus teachers remain responsible for the academic progress of students placed in DAEPs, even when placements last from a few days to a full school year. With as little as three days’ notice and little formal guidance, teachers are expected to balance new duties with their everyday classroom responsibilities. This lack of structure threatens educational continuity and leaves many educators without the resources needed to provide meaningful support.

Recent policy changes—such as legislation requiring mandatory DAEP placements for certain infractions (e.g., e-cigarette use)—have led to more students assigned to alternative programs. Without district-wide systems for maintaining instruction and supporting students’ return, both educators and learners face significant challenges.

Our Objective

In response, we set out to design a training solution tailored for SBISD’s needs—one that could be easily adapted by other districts facing similar barriers. Our goal: equip teachers with practical, flexible tools and resources to help them support students in DAEPs with greater consistency, empathy, and collaboration.

Grounded in Real Experience

Our approach is shaped by more than a decade of classroom and alternative education experience within our team. We’ve seen the DAEP process from multiple perspectives—navigating uncertainty as classroom teachers and developing broader understanding in alternative settings. Ongoing collaboration with educators ensured our solution stayed connected to real challenges and everyday practice.

Centering Teacher and Student Voices

To keep our design grounded in user needs, we developed detailed learner personas and empathy maps using a blend of data, interviews, and direct classroom observations. These tools helped us capture the diverse backgrounds, barriers, and motivations present not only in SBISD, but in communities around the world. By prioritizing teacher and student voices, we ensured the training remains adaptable, relevant, and easy for districts to customize as needs evolve.

Ready to see how these insights shaped our solution?

Click below to continue to the Design phase, where you’ll discover how user feedback, empathy mapping, and everyday challenges informed every stage of course development.