Three types of approaches can be described as alternatives to suspension: 1. Approaches that change the response of schools to student misbehavior; i.e. a shift from using suspension as a response to using an in-school practice that aims to address the root cause of the misbehavior and help students avoid future misconduct (restorative practices, counseling or treatment, mentoring, community service, etc.) 2. Approaches that focus on supporting individual school staff members to develop skills in behavior management, de-escalation or recognizing personal biases; and 3. School-wide approaches that aim to improve school climate or establish structures for teaching and reinforcing positive behavioral expectations.
See also: student discipline, restorative practices
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DRC Documents |
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Peer Conferencing Class Teaches How to Resolve Conflict This article from the Chicago Public Schools blog describes a high school course where students learn to resolve conflict through restorative practices and provide an additional option for responding to disciplinary incidents. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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A Restorative Approach to Discipline (video) From Chicago Public Schools' Office of Social and Emotional Learning, this video illustrates how restorative disciplinary practices have transformed school climate and relationships in 3 schools. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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Chicago Student Code of Conduct (video) This short video helps students and their families understand Chicago's student code of conduct and highlights the district's SEL-infused approach to student discipline. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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Chicago Public Schools Restorative Practices Guide and Toolkit A comprehensive mini-book that includes activities, lesson plans, and printable templates and tools to implement restorative practices, intended to be used along with other coaching and training. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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Suspending Chicago’s Students – Differences in Discipline Practices across Schools This report from the University of Chicago provides an example of how to analyze district discipline data to pinpoint factors that lead to inequity. SOURCE: University/Nonprofit Research Institution |
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Guiding Principles – A Resource Guide for Improving School Climate and Discipline These guiding principles from the U.S. Department of Education are organized around concepts of creating positive school climate, providing evidence-based supports, promoting social and emotional learning, providing training on positive engagement with students and equitable practices, and adopting an instructional approach to school discipline. SOURCE: United States DOE |
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Addendum to the Student Code of Conduct: Guidelines for Effective Discipline Chicago's resource to support schools in implementing the Student Code of Conduct, complete with flow charts, scenarios, and recommended interventions founded on SEL and restorative approaches. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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Chicago Public Schools Student Code of Conduct Chicago's Student Code of Conduct was revised to place a greater emphasis on restorative practices, reduce the length of suspensions, eliminate suspension as an option for low-level behaviors and PreK-2nd grade students, and adjust terms to reduce racial bias and subjectivity. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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Chicago Public Schools Student Code of Conduct Revisions, 2014 Presentation for the Chicago BOE summarizing the context, stakeholder engagement, and professional development plan surrounding the changes to the Student Code of Conduct. SOURCE: Chicago Public Schools |
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Addressing the Root Causes of Disparities in School Discipline: An educator’s action planning guide A guide for digging into discipline data, analyzing root causes, and action planning, with checklists, decision trees, Excel worksheets, and planning templates. SOURCE: National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments |
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