Download or read book Diminishing the Discipline Gap Restorative Justice as a Promising Alternative in One Urban School written by Polly Long and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 66 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Across the nation, the education system is responding to student misbehavior with zero tolerance policies that parallel the punitive practices found in the juvenile and criminal justice systems. Zero tolerance policies have contributed to the 0́−discipline gap,0́+ wherein schools punish racial and ethnic minorities more often and more severely than they punish whites. One alternative to punitive punishment is restorative justice, which aims to foster respect, responsibility, and empathy in members of school communities. This project evaluates the relationship between restorative justice and out-of-school suspension rates in an urban school district. It also serves as one of the few studies that evaluate the effect of restorative practices on the discipline gap. The results validate previous research findings, as restorative justice is related to reductions in out of-school suspension rates. Further, the results reveal a promising alternative to the punitive practices that plague the education system, as restorative justice is related to reductions in the size of the discipline gap.
Download or read book Closing the School Discipline Gap written by Daniel J. Losen and published by Teachers College Press. This book was released on 2015 with total page 286 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Educators remove over 3.45 million students from school annually for disciplinary reasons, despite strong evidence that school suspension policies are harmful to students. The research presented in this volume demonstrates that disciplinary policies and practices that schools control directly exacerbate today's profound inequities in educational opportunity and outcomes. Part I explores how suspensions flow along the lines of race, gender, and disability status. Part II examines potential remedies that show great promise, including a district-wide approach in Cleveland, Ohio, aimed at social and emotional learning strategies. Closing the School Discipline Gap is a call for action that focuses on an area in which public schools can and should make powerful improvements, in a relatively short period of time. Contributors include Robert Balfanz, Jamilia Blake, Dewey Cornell, Jeremy D. Finn, Thalia González, Anne Gregory, Daniel J. Losen, David M. Osher, Russell J. Skiba, Ivory A. Toldson “Closing the School Discipline Gap can make an enormous difference in reducing disciplinary exclusions across the country. This book not only exposes unsound practices and their disparate impact on the historically disadvantaged, but provides educators, policymakers, and community advocates with an array of remedies that are proven effective or hold great promise. Educators, communities, and students alike can benefit from the promising interventions and well-grounded recommendations.” —Linda Darling-Hammond, Charles E. Ducommun Professor of Education, Stanford University “For over four decades school discipline policies and practices in too many places have pushed children out of school, especially children of color. Closing the School Discipline Gap shows that adults have the power—and responsibility—to change school climates to better meet the needs of children. This volume is a call to action for policymakers, educators, parents, and students.” —Marian Wright Edelman, president, Children’s Defense Fund
Download or read book Factors that Influence the Implementation of Restorative Practices in an Urban District written by Wanda L. Lash and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 165 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: In spite of extant research on the impact of zero-tolerance policies on racial disparity and negative academic outcomes, exclusionary discipline still abounds, which urges the need for alternatives to this policy. Current research suggests approaches like restorative justice and restorative practices as a promising alternative to zero-tolerance policies where, through its use, students can find acceptance for who they are and learn how to handle conflict, accept responsibility, repair relationships, exercise forgiveness, and belong to a community. The specific problem becomes identifying the factors that make implementation of restorative justice programs in the educational setting impactful. The purpose of this quantitative study was to explore use of the elements of the restorative practices continuum and the factors of restorative practices implementation, and to investigate relationships that might exist between implementation of restorative practices and forgiveness, and the impact of implementation on suspensions at the school level. Instruments administered were a Restorative Practices survey that consisted of a combination of items developed by RAND and items developed by the International Institute of Restorative Practices (IIRP) and the Heartland Forgiveness Scale. Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was used to identify strongly related restorative practices survey items that grouped together as factors, particularly, factors of restorative practices implementation. Multiple regression was used to investigate relationships between these factors and the forgiveness scale score, to determine if forgiveness was a predictor of implementation, and relationships between these factors at the school level and out-of-school suspensions, to indicate the overall impact of restorative practices implementation. Results of the study indicated: 1) the elements of the restorative practices continuum that are more informal are implemented closer to "often" than those that require more time and preparation, which are implemented "sometimes." There are differences in the use of elements by gender, race, grade band and position. 2) The factors that emerged as dimensions of restorative practices implementation were influence on culture, utility of restorative practices, endorsement of restorative practices, integration of restorative practices, and understanding of restorative practices. 3) Forgiveness was positively related to the following factors: influence on culture, utility of restorative practices, and integration of restorative practices. 4) Though not statistically signifiant, decline in suspensions was related to some factors of implementation. This study contributes to the literature and fills a gap not yet explored on the relationship between an educator's aptitude for forgiveness and implementation of various components of restorative practices. Additionally, it extends research conducted by the RAND Corporation in the use of the restorative practices survey.
Download or read book Handbook of Social Justice Interventions in Education written by Carol A. Mullen and published by Springer. This book was released on 2021-08-28 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Handbook of Social Justice Interventions in Education features interventions in social justice within education and leadership, from early years to higher education and in mainstream and alternative, formal and informal settings. Researchers from across academic disciplines and different countries describe implementable social justice work underway in learning environments—organizations, programs, classrooms, communities, etc. Robust, dynamic, and emergent theory-informed applications in real-world places make known the applied knowledge base in social justice, and its empirical, ideological, and advocacy orientations. A multiplicity of social justice-oriented lenses, policies, strategies, and tools is represented in this Handbook, along with qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Alternative and conventional approaches alike advance knowledge and educational and social utility. To cover the field comprehensively the subject (i.e., social justice education and leadership) is subdivided into four sections. Part 1 (background) provides a general background of current social justice literature. Part II (schools) addresses interventions and explorations in preK-12 schools. Part III (education) covers undergraduate and graduate education and preservice teacher programs, classrooms, and curricula, in addition to teacher and student leadership in schools. Part IV (leadership) features educational leadership and higher education leadership domains, from organizational change efforts to preservice leader preparation programs, classrooms, etc. Part V (comparative) offers interventions and explorations of societies, cultures, and nations. Assembling this unique material in one place by a leading cast will enable readers easy access to the latest research-informed interventionist practices on a timely topic. They can build on this work that takes the promise of social justice to the next level for changing global learning environments and workplaces.
Download or read book Implementing Restorative Practices A Case Study of How One Urban High School Approached Alternatives to Punitive Discipline Practices written by Kristi Yvonne Cole and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 271 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Over the past 20 years, a serious trend has developed that disconnects too many students from school due to suspensions. Suspensions continue to widen the achievement gap within the educational system. Consistently, African American males are suspended at a much higher rate than the rest of the student population in Milwaukee, Wisconsin (Milwaukee Public Schools Data Warehouse, 2013). The purpose of this study is to determine if restorative practice is a viable alternative to punitive discipline approaches for students. Insights were revealed by gathering lived experiences of the 2011-2012 twelfth grade students and staff at one urban high school that implemented a program of restorative practices with fidelity in order to eliminate excessive suspensions and expulsions. Given the research purpose of studying a model of discipline with possible replication at other sites, the research approach was that of a case study employing methods of document analysis, observation, and individual interviews. Related research questions focused on how leadership implemented the restorative practices model and how necessary conditions for ownership of this model were created. Also, what aspects of the school climate changed as a result of the adoption of the restorative practices model? What is the effect of restorative practices implementation on the suspension rate? Finally, what impact does the restorative practices model have on relationships? The research indicates both students and staff responded positively to the use of restorative practices at this urban high school. Suspensions were limited, the student attendance rate was high and academic success was above average as compared to the district. Relationships between students and staff were strong, as well as the relationships between students. Restorative practices were not only used at the high school, but were extended in many of the students' homes and communities. Moreover, restorative practices were successfully used as an alternative to punitive discipline approaches.
Download or read book Restorative Practices written by Rufus Lott, 3rd and published by National Professional Resources, Inc.. This book was released on 2018-07-01 with total page 6 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The time for strict zero-tolerance punitive discipline approaches in schools is over. In addition to being ineffective, traditional exclusionary discipline is often inequitable and even counterproductive. Restorative practices offer a comprehensive alternative approach that promotes a positive school climate with strong relationships at the center, where all community members feel a true sense of belonging. When harm is done or conflict occurs, restorative practices provide a differentiated framework for working with students to restore relationships, repair harm, and prevent recurrences. The new, 6-page quick-reference laminated guide Restorative Practices: An Outside-the-Box Approach to Building and Sustaining Relationships in Schools by Rufus Lott III provides an overview of restorative practices and offers a three phase model with concrete strategies for implementing RP in the classroom: The Connect Phase - Strategies include relationship-building circles, using affective language, developing a relationship agreement, teaching emotional awareness skills. The Correct Phase- Strategies include restorative chats, restorative conferences, and restorative circles to collaborate with students to determine a way to right the wrong or repair the relationship, and continue with a plan to prevent future incidents based on acceptance of personal accountability. The Consequence Phase - Rather than arbitrary punishment, consequences are determined by first considering the desired outcomes are then selecting a strategy to achieve that outcome. This compact yet comprehensive guide will help educators begin their journey toward transforming school culture through implementing restorative practices.
Download or read book Restorative Practices as a Preventive Intervention to Reduce the Gender Discipline Gap in Schools written by Kathleen Jennifer Clawson and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 100 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The overuse of punitive discipline practices in schools for male students, particularly African American and Latino males, has likely contributed to the current gender and racial gaps in achievement. As the negative impact of exclusionary discipline policies in schools becomes increasingly acknowledged, schools are seeking viable alternative interventions. Restorative Practices (RP) is one such alternative intervention that is being considered. RP is comprised of a continuum of practices that range from intervention (after an infraction) to prevention (before an infraction). RP focuses on building community, improving relationships, and problem-solving to resolve conflict, while also holding students accountable for their behavior. However, little is known about the relationship between student gender and RP, specifically how male students relative to female students experience the RP intervention. This dissertation is comprised of two studies to address this knowledge gap. Study 1 assessed the relationship between teachers implementing RP and their use of office discipline referrals (ODRs) for misconduct/defiance behaviors with both males and females in the classroom. For study 1, students and teachers reported on the use of RP in the classroom. Study 2 assessed the perceived acceptability and benefits of participation in the RP intervention, known as informal conferences, for both male and female students with histories of repeated discipline referral and suspension. For study 2, students participated in interviews and completed a short survey. Findings from study 1 indicated that high fidelity of RP implementation was associated with a decrease in the gender discipline gap, as shown in school discipline records. Study 2 also underscored the need for high fidelity of RP implementation. When RP was implemented well, both male and female students tended to report strengthened relationships, increased perspective taking/empathy, and improved problem solving skills. Implications are that well-implemented RP has promise for reducing gender disparities in school discipline.
Download or read book Restorative Practices in Schools written by Margaret Thorsborne and published by Taylor & Francis. This book was released on 2017-07-05 with total page 67 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Outlines the techniques to learn and apply when planning and facilitating school conferences. This book contains key documents such as preparation checklist, conference script, typical agreement, evaluation sheet and case studies. It includes guidance on: analysing school practice; deciding whether to hold a conference; and preparing a conference.
Download or read book Discipline Over Punishment written by Trevor W. Gardner and published by Rowman & Littlefield. This book was released on 2016-08-16 with total page 170 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Discipline Over Punishment is an exploration of the transformative potential of restorative discipline practices in schools, ranging from the micro-level of one-on-one interactions with students to the macro-level of re-routing the school-to-prison pipeline and improving life outcomes for young people. Gardner, who continues to teach high school in Oakland, CA, has spent nearly 20 years innovating, struggling, and succeeding to implement various restorative justice practices in classrooms and schools around the Bay Area. Using classrooms and schools where he has taught and students, families and educators with whom he has worked, Gardner examines how restorative justice, as a set of beliefs and practices can be a force for justice and equity in our classrooms, schools, and beyond.
Download or read book Restoring Relationships written by Julie Beth Steitz and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 99 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Large studies of the 13 southern United States and California reveal an issue of equity and project far-reaching social consequences. Disciplinary disproportionality has affected the way students of color interact with the public-school system by historically providing harsher disciplinary procedures. One promising program, known as restorative justice, includes the voice and involvement of students in their discipline as they repair the relationships that have been affected by their misdeeds through the use of restorative practices. Discussion groups, circles, and mediations are facilitated by trained adults to improve decision making, and empathy while enhancing the school climate. The implementation of restorative justice practices may assist schools in closing the chasm that exists for students of color within the school disciplinary structure as well as improving school climate by offering an empathetic alternative in confronting bullying. This qualitative case study examined teacher and student perceptions of student behavior and school climate as a result of administrative implementation of restorative practices. Anonymous on-line teacher questionnaires, individual teacher interviews and student focus group data were used to reach conclusions. Both teachers and students saw changes in communication, relationships and discipline as being influenced by the introduction of restorative practices.
Download or read book Decoding Discipline written by Katie E. Lyell Fallo and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: African American students continue to be suspended at rates disproportionate to same aged peers. Exclusionary practices in America's public schools lead to a decrease in a positive school climate, an increase in suspension rates, an increase in drop-out rates, and an increase in interactions with juvenile and criminal justice systems. Supported by decades of research, entities from the American Academy of Pediatrics (2003) to the United States Department of Education (DOE) Office of Civil Rights (2014) have called for a reduction in overall suspensions and expulsions, and an eradication of the discipline gap between African American students and Caucasian students. Thus far, schools have struggled to implement programs and interventions to successfully reduce the discipline gap. Restorative Justice (RJ) or Restorative Practices (RP) have been utilized, with success, in Native American cultures, in countries such as Australia and New Zealand, and in juvenile and criminal justice systems. Within K-12 public schools, the use of RJ and its impact is beginning to be examined for efficacy. The purpose of this study is to use statistical analysis to determine the impact of RJ on a large urban district by studying discipline gap data for the four years prior to implementation and four years after implementation. This is the first known study of the impact of RJ in the San Francisco United School District (SFUSD). Results of the study indicate that the implementation of RJ in the SFUSD resulted in a significant decrease in expulsions, but not in suspensions. Current data confirms that a discipline gap between African American students and Caucasian students is still prevalent. A surprising result of the study, when compared to other recent research in the area, is the indication that RJ in the SFUSD had the greatest positive correlation with the reduction of exclusionary practices at the middle school level. A final look at the demographics of both the SFUSD certificated staff and the SFUSD students provides evidence that the Representative Bureaucracy Theory may be a reasonable way in which to interpret the discipline gap between African American students and Caucasian students.
Download or read book Inequality in School Discipline written by Russell J. Skiba and published by Springer. This book was released on 2016-08-20 with total page 300 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume fills a critical void by providing the most current and authoritative information on what is known about disciplinary disparities. School exclusion—out-of-school suspension and expulsion in particular—remains a substantial component of discipline in our nation’s schools, and those consequences continue to fall disproportionally on certain groups of learners. The negative consequences of frequent and inequitable use of school exclusion are substantial, including higher rates of academic failure, dropout, and contact with the juvenile justice system. As educators, policymakers, community leaders, and other youth-serving organizations begin the difficult work of creating more equitable school disciplinary systems, the need for effective disparity-reducing alternatives could not be more important. Drawing on the multi-year ground-breaking work of the Discipline Disparities Collaborative, the chapters in this book provide cutting edge knowledge supporting a new national imperative to eliminate race, gender, disability, and sexual orientation-based disciplinary disparities.
Download or read book The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education written by Katherine Evans and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2022-09-13 with total page 138 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fully revised & updated handbook for teachers and administrators on creating just and equitable learning environments for students; building and maintaining healthy relationships; healing harm and transforming conflict. Much more than a response to harm, restorative justice nurtures relational, interconnected school cultures. The wisdom embedded within its principles and practices is being welcomed at a time when exclusionary discipline and zero tolerance policies are recognized as perpetuating student apathy, disproportionality, and the school-to-prison pipeline. Relying on the wisdom of early proponents of restorative justice, the daily experiences of educators, and the authors’ extensive experience as classroom teachers and researchers, this Little Book guides the growth of restorative justice in education (RJE) into the future. Incorporating activities, stories, and examples throughout the book, three major interconnected and equally important aspects of restorative justice in education are explained and applied: creating just and equitable learning environments; building and maintaining healthy relationships; healing harm and transforming conflict. Chapters include: The Way We Do Things A Brief History of Restorative Justice in Education Beliefs and Values in Restorative Justice in Education Creating just and Equitable Learning Environments Nurturing Healthy relationships Repairing Harm and Transforming Conflict A Tale of Two Schools: Thoughts and Sustainability The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education is a reference that practitioners can turn to repeatedly for clarity and consistency as they implement restorative justice in educational settings.
Download or read book Stakeholder Perspectives of Restorative Practices Implementation in an Urban School District written by Kristen Hinson and published by . This book was released on 2020 with total page 440 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ever since zero-tolerance policies took effect in schools, suspensions have significantly increased (Losen & Skiba, 2010). There is little evidence, however, that suspensions improve the behavior of suspended students (Gregory, Clawson, Davis, & Gerewitz, 2016). Exclusionary discipline can negatively affect a student’s future. Students frequently suspended are less likely to graduate and more likely to be adjudicated (Losen & Martinez, 2013; Rosenbaum, 2018; Skiba et al., 2014). In addition to the risk of suspension, the Every Student Succeeds Act (2015) requires that all schools implement an alternative discipline plan aimed at managing behavior while minimizing exclusionary discipline (ESSA, 2015). Implementing restorative practices may be one alternative to address these challenges. The purpose of this qualitative descriptive study was to describe stakeholder perceptions of restorative practices implementation in an urban school district. The overarching research question guiding this inquiry is: How do stakeholders in an urban school district describe the implementation of restorative practices as they contribute to climate and discipline in their school building communities? This research was conducted in an urban school district that employs the use of restorative practices, as defined by the International Institute for Restorative Practices (Wachtel, 2015). Administrators (N=5), teachers (N=7), current students (N=12), and recent graduates (N=4) from the district were selected using maximum variation purposeful sampling. Interviews were conducted with school administrators and students; focus groups were conducted with students and teachers; an expert informant (N=1) participated in a semi-structured interview; finally, document analysis of relevant district documents (N=17) supported and triangulated the primary data sources. Three themes emerged from converging the data sets: 1) Importance of Whole School Integration of Restorative Practices, 2) Stakeholder Perspectives on the Effects of Restorative Practices on School Climate, Discipline, and Outcomes for School Communities, and 3) Barriers to Implementation of Restorative Practices. Braithwaite’s (2003) Reintegrative Shaming Theory, in which shame is used to change behavior with the goal of reintegrating offenders into the community, framed the interpretation of the findings. The findings may provide important and actionable information about the implementation of restorative practices for urban school leaders, based on the perspectives of key stakeholders.
Download or read book Justice on Both Sides written by Maisha T. Winn and published by Harvard Education Press. This book was released on 2020-08-11 with total page 210 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Restorative justice represents “a paradigm shift in the way Americans conceptualize and administer punishment,” says author Maisha T. Winn, from a focus on crime to a focus on harm, including the needs of both those who were harmed and those who caused it. Her book, Justice on Both Sides, provides an urgently needed, comprehensive account of the value of restorative justice and how contemporary schools can implement effective practices to address inequalities associated with race, class, and gender. Winn, a restorative justice practitioner and scholar, draws on her extensive experience as a coach to school leaders and teachers to show how indispensable restorative justice is in understanding and addressing the educational needs of students, particularly disadvantaged youth. Justice on Both Sides makes a major contribution by demonstrating how this actually works in schools and how it can be integrated into a range of educational settings. It also emphasizes how language and labeling must be addressed in any fruitful restorative effort. Ultimately, Winn makes the case for restorative justice as a crucial answer, at least in part, to the unequal practices and opportunities in American schools.
Download or read book The School to Prison Pipeline written by Catherine Y. Kim and published by NYU Press. This book was released on 2012-04-01 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the relationship between the law and the school-to-prison pipeline, argues that law can be an effective weapon in the struggle to reduce the number of children caught, and discusses the consequences on families and communities.
Download or read book Restorative Justice in Urban Schools written by Anita Wadhwa and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
