Alternatives To Suspension

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Alternatives To Suspension

• Denise Riley and Rick Rogers
• Oklahoma Technical Assistance Center
• February 2007

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2005-2006Oklahoma Needs Assessment

• 5,277 different students were suspended out of
  school for more than 10 consecutive school days.
• 27,221 different students were suspended out of
  school for fewer than 10 consecutive school days.
• 40,830 different students were assigned to an
  in-school suspension program.

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What if we view misbehavior as an opportunity to
teach?

• Limit suspensions and expulsions to the most
  serious offences
• Team decisions guide student discipline
• Individual behavior plans

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More Views on Discipline

• Punishment is expedient, but less effective than
  discipline.
• Staff members should be trained in ways to avoid
  power struggles and prevent further escalation.
• Discipline in PrivatePraise in Public

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District X Student Suspensions
Elementary Middle School
High School
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General Strategies

• Saturday School (Elgin, IL example)
• Character Building (assignments, short courses,
  books, videos, presentations)
• Discipline is a shared responsibility between
  (admin., faculty, support staff, students,
  parents and community)
• Alter students schedules
• Mentoring

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• Destruction of Property

• Pay for property
• Fix the property
• Clean up
• Make restitution
• Community Service
• Attend court and prepare a report

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• Fighting

• Assign to conflict resolution class
• Police intervention as applicable
• Appropriate ISS
• Peer Mediation
• Speak Out Program

Misbehavior occurs most often in poorly
supervised areas.
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• Smoking

• Supervised breaks
• Parent notification
• Smoking cessation class
• Shadow (respiratory therapist)
• Prepare a PowerPoint presentation

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• Refusal to work

• Stay after school to complete work
• Require Tutoring
• Extend time to complete work
• Homework Lab
• Early Release Incentive
• Contracts
• Organizational Skills

Students should get credit for work done.
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• Disrespect

• Character Building Rooms / Centers
• Corrective Behavior Plan (use counselor)
• Reflective Essay
• Directed Readings
• Apology
• Parents shadow student

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• Drug Alcohol

• Shorten suspension if student agrees to
• Counseling
• Formal Assessment
• Specialized Classes (from community or school)

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• Truancy

• Intervene early
• Make-up time
• Graduated Sanctions
• Truancy Court

• Loss of credit and zeroes further complicate this
  problem.

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• Dress Code

• Clothes closet
• Appropriate ISS
• Turn shirts wrong side out
• View students as part of the solution

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• Attendance

• Make-up time
• Survivors Model (Enid, OK)
• Refer to counselor or social worker
• Home Visits
• Community focus

separate behavior from academics
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Does suspension improve student behavior?

• 30-50 of suspensions are repeat offenders
  (Tobin, Sugai Calvin, 1996)
• There is a high correlation between suspension
  and dropping out
• Dropout or pushout?

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Administrators Can

• move away from zero tolerance policies
• Focus on changing the environment and teacher
  responses
• Focus on effective discipline
• Generate a broad list of disciplinary options

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Contact Information for Programs and Materials
Cited in PowerPoint

• Lincoln Survivors - Enid Alternative School,
  Jarry Hillman Principal [phone]
• Saturday School Elgin, Illinois School District
  U-46, Dr. Marlene Berman Title IV Safe and Drug
  Free Schools Coordinator, [phone] ext.
  7006
• Reduction of School Violence Alternatives to
  Suspension, Fourth Edition, - Beverly H. Johns
  Valerie G. Carr from LRP Publications

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OTACAlternative Paths to Learning

• Oklahoma Technical Assistance Center
• 123 E. Broadway
• Cushing, Oklahoma 74023
• Phone[phone]
• FAX [phone]
• E-mail rrogers_at_otac.info
• or
• driley_at_otac.info