This year the state of California adopted 5 school-discipline-related laws. These new laws will make a difference in your schools and classrooms — but it’s going to be up to us to help implement them. Here are some resources to help community members and educators work together to make these changes a reality. Explore the ... Read More
A brand new law to help reduce suspensions and expulsions of foster youth goes into effect in January. But Elk Grove Unified, located in Sacramento County, has applied the principles of AB 1909 early and is already seeing positive results. Foster youth are being suspended 69% less often in 2010-2011 compared to 2009-2010, EdSource reports. ... Read More
After hearing from Californians from all corners of the state concerned with harsh school discipline rules, Governor Jerry Brown has given his stamp of approval to five bills to fix some of the worst problems. He signed the final bill, AB 1909, just hours before the Sept. 30 deadline, to ensure that social workers and ... Read More
Wow! A new petition to Governor Brown supporting school discipline bills has 14,000+ signatures at Change.org. Have you signed yet? It’s from the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color, a group of students, young leaders, and concerned citizens from across California who are concerned about the overuse of harsh school discipline. Here’s what it ... Read More
Did you know California public schools suspend more students each year (more than 400,000) than they graduate (382,558 in 2011) ? A special statewide hearing on Monday, September 10, with students and education and civil rights leaders will look at the reasons why and focus on solutions that work. Read the press advisory: ‘WHY ARE ... Read More
As students, parents, and educators get ready for this academic year, seven school discipline reform bills sit at Governor Jerry Brown’s desk. Laura Faer, an attorney with Public Counsel Law Center, points out the disturbing fact that “California issues more suspensions than diplomas each year.” Mail or fax your letters of support to (916) 558-3177 by this ... Read More
Today in Los Angeles, students, parents, and teachers from across the country launched a national “Solutions Not Suspensions” campaign calling for a moratorium on out-of-school suspensions and for schools to adopt more constructive disciplinary actions that benefit students, classrooms and communities. The effort is sponsored by the Dignity in Schools Campaign and Opportunity to Learn ... Read More
7 bills to fix school discipline in California are headed to Governor Brown’s desk. After all the phone calls, letters, and time spent in Sacramento telling your stories, THIS IS IT. DOWNLOAD THE LATEST LETTERS OF SUPPORT AND FAX THEM TO (916) 558-3177 BY NEXT WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 5 PLEASE DO NOT recycle old letters, ... Read More
UCLA researchers have released the first national study that identifies the nation’s top 100 high-suspension school districts — and shows California schools still have a big problem. Fifteen of the nation’s highest-suspending districts are in California, and the state is ranked 20th in the gap between suspensions of African American students (17.7%) and white students ... Read More
