This document discusses alternatives to suspending students from school. It notes that many infractions that lead to suspension are non-violent offenses. Suspending students frequently does not address the underlying issues and can actually reinforce misbehavior. The document recommends reserving suspensions only for serious behaviors and using a graduated system of consequences. It provides examples of alternative consequences schools could use instead of suspension, such as counseling, community service, behavior monitoring, and problem-solving contracts. Implementing a variety of alternatives developed with input from the school community helps build support and makes the approach more effective. Schools should evaluate alternatives by tracking data on their use and impact.
Presenters representing various perspectives (e.g., community-based agency,
Education, and Juvenile Justice) shared their experience of blending services and
dollars within the School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and
Support (SWPBIS) framework to identify and provide rapid access to treatment to
students that would otherwise be fragmented. It is estimated that as many as one in every six children in the country has a developmental or behavioral disability. Yet, only one out of five of those children receive the mental health services they need. Of those children that receive services, approximately 80% do so within a school setting. The relationship between social and emotional development to achievement has been well-documented. Subsequently, there has been considerable attention on the development of models for mental health in schools, including social emotional learning, school-wide prevention systems and more timely and effective treatment options for youth with more intensive mental health challenges.
Presenters representing various perspectives (e.g., community-based agency,
Education, and Juvenile Justice) shared their experience of blending services and
dollars within the School-wide Positive Behavior Interventions and
Support (SWPBIS) framework to identify and provide rapid access to treatment to
students that would otherwise be fragmented. It is estimated that as many as one in every six children in the country has a developmental or behavioral disability. Yet, only one out of five of those children receive the mental health services they need. Of those children that receive services, approximately 80% do so within a school setting. The relationship between social and emotional development to achievement has been well-documented. Subsequently, there has been considerable attention on the development of models for mental health in schools, including social emotional learning, school-wide prevention systems and more timely and effective treatment options for youth with more intensive mental health challenges.
Addressing problems with school suspension: Practice and promising strategiesLaila Bell
This presentation stems from materials prepared by Jenni Owen, Director of Policy Initiatives at Duke University for the 2010 NC Family Impact Seminar, School Suspension: Research and Policy Options, held April 27, 2010, at the North Carolina General Assembly.
Seminar materials are available at http://www.childandfamilypolicy.duke.edu/engagement/ncfis_2010.php
Students with behavioral problems and benefits of their virtual classroomsprivate practice
Students who feel disconnected from others may be prone to engage in deceptive behaviors such as academic dishonesty. George and Carlson (1999) contend that as the distance between a student and a physical classroom setting increases, so too would the frequency of online cheating. The distance that exists between faculty and students through the virtual classroom may contribute to the belief that students enrolled in online classes are more likely to cheat than students enrolled in traditional classroom settings
Ewa 4
Vincent Ewa Topic: What do we know about school discipline reform?
February 11, 2017
Article Review # 1
Bibliography entry:
Steinberg, Matthew P., and Johanna, Lacoe. "What do we know about school discipline reform?." Education Next 17, no. 1 (Winter2017 2017): 44-52. Education Research Complete, EBSCOhost.
Purpose: The U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights announced this spring that the number of suspensions and expulsions in the nation’s public schools had dropped 20 percent between 2012 and 2014.
Authoraffiliations:
· Steinberg – The University Pennsylvanian’s Graduate School of Education
· Lacoe - Researcher at Mathematica Policy Research
Summary:
According to the department of Education office for civil rights, there has been a drop of suspensions and expulsions in public schools between 2012 and 2014. There have been moves to abolish the use of suspensions and expulsion by some policy makers. Furthermore, there have also been complains that suspensions and expulsions where used in a way that was not fair and discriminative of other students. Others do also believe that the abolishment of such punishment would result to a better working environment. There has also been a push by politicians including Barak Obamas government, which advocated for an alternative kind of punishment for students found on the wrong line of the school rules. This involved a joint venture by the Department of Education and the Department of Justice who eventually arrived on measures to improve the school climate and the discipline among students. They also send a strict warning of racism when it comes to disciplining of students at school. It is evident also that the move for discipline reforms has gone to the grassroots, which is the state and school district levels. Example is the District of Colombia.
A critical look on the effects of this alternative ways of suspension should be made. Various statistical reports have brought out variety of evidences. Example is the documentation in disparities in school in school discipline and race. In addition is the statistical report by the National Centre for Education show a downward trend in suspensions, student victimization and reports of bullying. It also shows decline in suspensions and expulsions. There has also been more that 30% if teachers reporting of disruption to studies due to behavior and tardiness. Evidence of exposure to extreme harsh conditions such has students exposed to Hurricanes tend to be out of school for a given time while dealing with the disaster. Finally, exposure to disruptive peers tends to affect students later in their studies.
Statistics also show disproportionate rates of suspension with it mainly affecting students of a specific race and also students with disabilities. Most of these being racial especially among the blacks in preschool, primary, middle and high schools. This has also created gaps between blacks ...
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2. Most Frequent Behavior Infractions
that lead to Suspension in your School/District
1.
2.
3.
4.
3. Russ Skiba, 2006
Center for Evaluation and Educational Policy, Indiana University
For what type of infractions are students getting
suspended?
“Looking across studies of school discipline, it is
clear that school suspension tends not to be
reserved for serious or dangerous behaviors.
The majority of offenses for which students
are suspended appear to be non-violent, less-
disruptive (than fighting) offenses.”
4. Russ Skiba, 2006
• Suspension must be viewed as posing a risk to
educational opportunity given the research on the
central importance of academic engagement to
learning.
– MEAP/MI-ACCESS, Test Scores, AYP, Graduation Rates
• In some schools suspension may be used as a push-
out tool to encourage low-achieving students and
those viewed as troublemakers to leave school
before graduation.
5. Russ Skiba, 2006
• At the national level it has been estimated that the number of
suspensions and expulsions has doubled since the 1970s.
• 30-50% of students suspended are repeat offenders
– “Suspension functions as a reinforcer...rather than
as a punisher” (Tobin, Sugai & Colvin,1996)
• Data shows that certain classrooms and schools appear to be
responsible for a disproportionate share of disciplinary
referrals. For example, in one middle school studied 25% of
classroom teachers were responsible for 66% of all office
referrals.
6. Russ Skiba
Recommendations for Practitioners
• Reserve zero tolerance disciplinary removals for
only the most serious and severe of disruptive
behaviors, and define those behaviors explicitly.
• Use a graduated system wherein consequences
are geared to the seriousness of the infraction.
Less serious offenses, such as classroom
disruption, attendance-related behaviors, or even
minor fights among students can be met with
consequences that might range from parent
contact, reprimands, community service, or
counseling.
7. Reece Peterson Ph.D.
U. of Nebraska – Lincoln
On Suspension
We need to move away from the traditional idea
that suspensions are “punishment.”
We need to develop a “teaching” orientation to the
consequences we employ.
We also need to greatly expand the number and
variety of consequences which are included to be
more responsive to the variety of situations and
needs related to student behavior.
8. Reece Peterson
Some Alternatives to Suspension
Mini Course Short units or modules on topics
related to various types of inappropriate
behavior. These could include readings, videos,
workbooks, tests and oral reports.
They could focus on topics from inappropriate
language, sexual harassment, to alcohol/drug use,
conflict resolution, social skill development, and
many more. Once created, students could be
assigned to complete the appropriate modules
based on their offense.
9. Peterson, cont.
Some Alternatives to Suspension
Parent Supervision Ask the parent if they are willing to
sit with the student while the student remains in
school. May not be possible for some parents, but
could be a valuable option.
Counseling Student is assigned to a professional (SSW,
counselor, school psychologist) to problem solve,
identify skills for targeted intervention (e.g., anger
management), or to work through problems or issues
the student may have.
Community Service Community service tasks with
appropriate supervision outside of school hours. Might
include clean up crews or community agencies.
10. Peterson, cont.
Some Alternatives to Suspension
Behavior Monitoring Close monitoring using check
sheets and some form of feedback between teacher
and parent.
Restitution Student is assigned work which would
repair or restore the physical environment, could
include projects to clean or make the school more
attractive.
Problem solving or Behavioral Contract Defined
procedure for behavioral problem-solving (e.g.,
reflection sheets) and then creating a behavioral
contract that includes positive consequences for
successful completion.
11. Peterson, cont.
Some Alternatives to Suspension
• Programming Alternatives For some students,
especially at the secondary level, it may be
possible to change the student’s schedule,
classes or program which would avoid problem
environments or situations, but yet permit
continued access to the curriculum and school.
• Appropriate In-school Suspension ISS should
continue academic or other instruction, but also
focus on solving the problem that resulted in the
student being sent there.
12. Additional Alternatives to Suspension
• Loss of privileges: home or school
• Written apology
• Time-out: from one period to rest of school day
• Detention: after school, lunch detention,
Saturday detention
• Assignment to an adult mentor
• Positive Contingency Contracts
• Send Homes in a Behavior Plan
• Referral to Community Mental Health
13. Reece Peterson
Implementation Strategy: School-based Approach
“It is possible for a school-wide team to
identify lots of creative ideas for alternatives
(to suspension) and it is best if these emerge
from the culture of a particular school.”
“This will also build the support for these
alternatives among teachers, staff, students
and parents.”
14. PBIS Approach
1. Look at your data
2. Make meaning of it
3. Develop a plan/Implement
4. Evaluate – e.g., take data on the use of
suspension alternatives
Look at the systems that support the practice.