There are waves in our schools as restorative justice replaces punitive justice. More than 23,000 schools are letting go of punitive approaches to discipline in favor of restorative models. Schools that adopt these models often see at least a 20% drop in suspension rates during their first year, which impacts graduation rates, test scores and ... Read More
A new report by David S. Kirk and Robert J. Sampson highlights the impact of juvenile arrest on completion of high school and how it alters life trajectories around work and family. The report concludes: With high school and even college graduation virtually a necessity for a successful transition to adulthood, we conclude that the ... Read More
The Oakland Unified School District is working to combat racial disparities in how it disciplines students. This year, it has made some progress in reducing suspensions of African-American students, using a restorative justice framework. Additionally, it also developed a plan that looks at school culture and climate, working with teachers and staff to provide trainings ... Read More
California isn’t the only state where parents are concerned about harsh rules like willful defiance. In yet another example of the arbitrary nature of ‘willful defiance’, last week, a 7-year-old boy was suspended for biting his pop-tart pastry into the shape of a gun. This follows a trend of young children suspended for pointing their fingers ... Read More
Learn lessons from successful educators and find out how to make positive school discipline changes at your school. California educators, community organizations and students are rolling up their sleeves to make common-sense school discipline changes. Many are already reporting amazing results: more students in class and learning, fewer behavioral problems on campus, fewer suspensions and ... Read More
Central Valley students and educators have launched a new discipline program that is changing their schools for the better. STRIVE, a program through Merced County Office of Education, harnesses the power of conflict resolution to work with students and teachers to cut down on suspensions and keep students in class. When a problem arises, students ... Read More
Did you know that 14 school-age children are murdered every day in the U.S.? And 2 out of 3 children saw violence last year? California students are demanding a plan to end violence against young people in a new 1-minute video from Health Happens Here that has already been watched more than 1 million times. ... 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
Eight bills to fix school discipline are moving ahead in the California Legislature, with the final votes coming just hours before the July 4 holiday. If given final approval by the Legislature and signed by the Governor, the bills will lead to positive discipline accountability alternatives for students in schools with the most out-of-school suspensions, ... Read More
Parents, students and educators made the trek to Sacramento on July 27 from Los Angeles, Oakland, Vallejo, and all over California. They were there to tell legislators why bills to change school discipline rules are so critical. And in a marathon day and night of telling their stories to legislators they helped win the passage ... Read More
