While a growing body of literature has documented the negative impacts of exclusionary punishments, such as suspensions, on academic outcomes, less is known about how teachers vary in disciplinary behaviors and the attendant impacts on students. We use administrative data from North Carolina elementary schools to examine the extent to which…

This brief describes key features of the high school alcohol and drug policies in the 100 largest school districts in the United States. The written policies of at least 80% of these districts include parent conferences, referral to law enforcement, principal-determined suspensions, or referral for expulsion hearings (or some combination of these)…

One frequently held assumption found within the school discipline literature suggests that students of color- particularly African American, male, low-income populations- are at an increased risk of receiving exclusionary discipline sanctions. Aside from race, gender, and socioeconomic status; however, less is known about other factors that…

Issues in suspension reform are examined in this document, which identifies the need for reform in the Oakland, California, public schools and offers suggestions. Data was derived from the conclusions of educational researchers, experiences of educators and students, and analysis of local data. Following the overview, which asserts that the level…

The current status of discipline in Arizona public schools is assessed and alternative forms of discipline are reviewed in this report on classroom discipline. Methodology involved a literature review, an informal survey of 330 Arizona schools, and an attitudinal survey of 300 educators and non-educators. Overall findings indicate that most…

Positive alternatives to disciplinary exclusion of behaviorally disordered children and youth are examined. Chapter 1 defines disciplinary exclusion and reviews its legal status. Chapter 2 describes common exclusionary practices (in-school suspension, continuous suspension, shortened school day, homebound instruction, alternative school placement,…

This paper discusses the suspension and expulsion of unruly handicapped students by examining previous court litigation, identifying the legal issues involved, and reviewing Texas State Board of Education policy. Although sensitive and knowledgeable of the special learning and emotional needs of handicapped students, the conclusion favors recent…

Discipline in the nation's schools has become a pressing problem. The widespread use of punitive disciplinary methods, including probation, suspension, and expulsion, can estrange students from schools, negatively "label" affected students, and burden communities with unsupervised youths. Rehabilitative forms of discipline for students…

A discussion of student discipline. Reports on a statewide investigation in Nevada on the effectiveness of a legislative initiative that attempted to facilitate the removal from the class or reassignment of disruptive students, focusing on the perceptions of administrators and teachers. (Contains three tables and six references.) (WFA)

This study looks at existing aspects of written school violence policies (Codes of Student Conduct) across large, mid-size, and small school districts in Florida. The aim was to provide a clearer picture of how weapons are defined, and the consequences of their possession, use, or display. Two research areas were addressed: (1) What constitutes a…

State legislatures and school boards are adopting a growing number of zero-tolerance polices toward weapons, guns, and violence. Zero-tolerance polices are rules intended to address specific school-safety issues. They have arisen in part as a response to the threat of the withdrawal of federal funds under the 1994 Gun-Free Schools Act, and…

Designed to assist New Jersey school districts in developing and implementing student codes of conduct, this document begins by examining the need for policy and clearly established rules, the rationale for codes of conduct, and the areas that such codes should address. Following a discussion of substantive and procedural rights and sources of…