Growing evidence points to increased female involvement in the juvenile justice system and a correlation to adult justice system involvement (Morris & Perry, 2017). However, there is an absence of individual perspectives and lived experiences from within the school-to-prison pipeline (Cole and Cohen, 2013). This qualitative study investigates the perceptions of formerly incarcerated females regarding the influence of K-12 educational experiences on their involvement in the school-to-prison pipeline. Specifically, student characteristics, school experiences, and school engagement levels were examined. Additionally, this study highlights a theoretical model of ecological systems theory and complexity theory. Eight formerly incarcerated females, ages 19 to 25, were selected through purposeful sampling to participate in individual interviews. Three interview protocols were used during each interview to reflect the stages of the schooling journey: elementary, middle, and high school. The interview transcripts were coded and cross-referenced for commonalities and phenomena related to the topic and the research questions. In this study, female student life factors and school experiences emerged and highlighted potential commonalities between the lived experiences of female students and their trajectory through the school-to-prison pipeline. Themes of interpersonal student-teacher relationships, school discipline, traumatic experiences, and academic and behavior interventions emerged as influencing participants involvement in the school-to-prison pipeline. Finally, this study concludes with recommendations for school leaders, teachers, and juvenile justice personnel to address these areas to deter female involvement in the school-to-prison pipeline, and to potentially bolster school safety and ensure a more productive learning environment for all students. [The dissertation citations contained here are published with the permission of ProQuest LLC. Further reproduction is prohibited without permission. Copies of dissertations may be obtained by Telephone (800) 1-800-521-0600. Web page: http://www.proquest.com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-US/products/dissertations/individuals.shtml.]