From Rigid To Responsive: Better Approaches to School Discipline COSEBOC Webinar Series December 5,...
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Transcript of From Rigid To Responsive: Better Approaches to School Discipline COSEBOC Webinar Series December 5,...
From Rigid To Responsive:Better Approaches to School Discipline
COSEBOC Webinar SeriesDecember 5, 2012
Jason SinocruzAdvancement
Project
AGENDA1. What is Advancement Project?2. Background Information on Zero
Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
3. Advancement Project’s Local Work4. National Attention on School
Discipline Reform5. What Can You Do?
WHAT IS ADVANCEMENT PROJECT?
Racial justice civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C.
Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track Project
Work with grassroots groups to end the school-to-prison pipeline in their communities.
Aim to change the national conversation on STPP.
Provide resources and best practices on school discipline.
Active in more than a dozen sites, including (but not limited to) New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Colorado.
AGENDA1. What is Advancement Project?2. Background Information on Zero
Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
3. Advancement Project’s Local Work4. National Attention on School
Discipline Reform5. What Can You Do?
1980s: “Zero Tolerance”
drug policies
ORIGINS OF “ZERO TOLERANCE”
1990s: Columbine tragedy –
“zero tolerance”
RE-CHARACTERIZATION OF STUDENT BEHAVIOR
“Battery”Pushing & shoving
Swiping headphones
Talking back
“Theft” or “robbery”
“Disorderly conduct”
DEFINITION:
The policies and practices that are
directly and indirectly pushing students out
of school and on a pathway to prison.
AGENDA1. What is Advancement Project?2. Background Information on Zero
Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
3. Advancement Project’s Local Work4. National Attention on School
Discipline Reform5. What Can You Do?
A MOVEMENT EMERGES…
– Parent and student resistance– District reform– State legislative reform– Federal attention
In response, there is now a national movement around the elimination of these harsh policies and practices.
CHICAGO PARTNER:VOICES OF YOUTH INCHICAGO EDUCATION
(VOYCE)In the last year:1. Brought attention to overly punitive
disciplinary fines imposed by prominent charter network.
2. Edited discipline code with following key provisions:1. Reduced number of days students could
be suspended for certain minor acts.2. Eliminated automatic 10 day suspension
for worst offenses.
PHILADELPHIAPARTNER:YOUTH UNITED FOR
CHANGE (YUC)
In the last few years:1. Published report on zero tolerance
problem within local schools.2. Revised discipline code with following
provisions:1. No more out-of-school suspensions for
unreasonable behaviors (e.g. dress code violations).
2. Added protections for gender expression.
DENVERPARTNER:PADRES Y JOVENES
UNIDOS
In the past five years:1. Rewrote the discipline code.2. Implemented restorative justice program.3. Passed statewide law on “Smarter School
Discipline.”4. In the process of:
1. Rewriting the memorandum of understanding between police and district.
2. Aligning the new discipline code with new state law.
DENVER PUBLIC SCHOOLS
2007-08 School Year
10,161Out-of-School Suspensions
2011-12 School Year
6,076Out-of-School Suspensions
DOWN
40%
AGENDA1. What is Advancement Project?2. Background Information on Zero
Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
3. Advancement Project’s Local Work4. National Attention on School
Discipline Reform5. What Can You Do?
NATIONAL ATTENTION ON SCHOOL DISCIPLINE REFORM
IN 2012 Advancement Project Regional Action
Camps School-Justice Partnership Summit Department of Justice lawsuit in
Meridian, Mississippi Dignity in Schools Campaign – call for
moratorium on out-of-school suspensions
Ed Week series on school discipline Senate Subcommittee Hearing on
School-to-Prison Pipeline by Senator Durbin (D-IL)
AGENDA1. What is Advancement Project?2. Background Information on Zero
Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
3. Advancement Project’s Local Work4. National Attention on School
Discipline Reform5. What Can You Do?
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Learn more about the School-to-Prison pipeline.
Visit the Digital Library at http://www.advancementproject.org
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Look to the Advancement Project Action Kit for models of good discipline policy and examples of how to collect good data.
See http://www.stopschoolstojails.org for more information
• Collect and report disaggregated and thorough school discipline data.
• Use the data to track successes, areas for improvement, and develop alternative practices.
27
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection:
Visit http://ocrdata.ed.gov/ to look up information on your area
• Create or revise the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between your schools and local law enforcement agencies.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
• Seek changes to applicable local, county, and state laws and policies
• Reduce/end overuse of suspensions, expulsions, and arrests in schools
25 CLASSROOM & IN-SCHOOL ALTERNATIVES TO SUSPENSIONS,
EXPULSIONS, AND ARRESTS • Reminder and/or re-direction • Re-teaching of expectations
and skills • Student/teacher conference • Loss of privileges • Role-play • Written apology • Mini-course/training on
topics such as conflict resolution, anger management, social skills, or appropriate behavior
• Time-out/chill-out period • Reflective essay or other
reflective activity • Independent study • Parental outreach • Student/teacher/parent
conference • Detention • Referral to after-school
program
• Saturday School • Restorative practices, such
as peace circles • Referral to support staff,
such as guidance counselor, social worker, or nurse
• Self-charting of behaviors • Daily report card on
behavior, task completion, and achievement
• Referral to an in-school suspension center or support center
• Restitution • Community service • Mentoring • Modified/adjusted schedule,
including changes to the student’s overall schedule or course content
• Referral to community-based services
• Leverage budgetary authority• Divert funding used for law
enforcement personnel and security infrastructure to:
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
–Prevention and intervention measures such as restorative justice.–Social workers,
school psychologists, and guidance counselors.
• Listen to and prioritize input from community members, parents, and especially youth.
• Create regular and productive opportunities for administrators, parents, and students to engage in meaningful dialogue about school discipline.
WHAT CAN YOU DO?
AGENDA1. What is Advancement Project?2. Background Information on Zero
Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
3. Advancement Project’s Local Work4. National Attention on School
Discipline Reform5. What Can You Do?
FOR MORE INFORMATION . . .
• Go to:
www.advancementproject.org
www.stopschoolstojails.org
• Contact info:Jason Sinocruz, Staff [email protected]
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