Research shows that students of color (especially African-American students) receive significantly higher rates of disciplinary action: more office referrals, more suspensions, and more expulsions. Disciplinary action can have lasting effects on students and may impact their future education, employment, and income. As educators, it is important to implement equitable practices in our schools and communities [...]
SEL in Practice: Resolving Conflicts through Restorative Justice Sometimes, good intentions can work against you. Research shows that when punitive practices such as expulsion and suspension are used too frequently, schools/programs are actually less safe, have lower academic achievement and face increased dropout rates. For these reasons, organizations are moving away from punitive forms of [...]
What causes bullying in schools? Research suggests that teens bully when they have insufficient self-confidence, social acceptance, respect, and/or feelings of insecurity. Schools continuously work to reduce bullying, but unfortunately there are no fast or easy solutions. In the spirit of Bullying Prevention Month, learn more about why students resort to bullying and how social [...]
Under the new Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA), states must establish accountability systems that measure student success or school quality. How to measure these is up to individual states, and many are zeroing in on chronic absenteeism. Districts have long used attendance rates as a metric for measuring early warning and student performance. Yet, chronic [...]
