African American males receive a disproportionate number of referrals that result in punitive and exclusionary consequences. These referrals are often more subjective and include reasons such as disrupting class, disrespect, and refusal to obey. In- and out-of-school suspensions lead to a loss of instructional time for students, as well as a…

This study examined whether, for bullying perpetrators, admitting to their behavior was associated with specific psychosocial characteristics, and whether it predicted decreases in bullying behavior and a higher responsiveness to a successful anti-bullying program after 9 months of implementation. It also investigated whether participation in an…

The school-to-prison pipeline has been an ongoing phenomenon for many decades that disproportionately and negatively impacts students of color. Due to research suggesting school principals play a critical role in the student disciplinary decision-making process, the present study aimed to better understand how principals make discipline decisions…

Aim: This systematic literature review aims to explore the effectiveness of school-wide interventions in reducing disciplinary exclusion from mainstream secondary schools. Rationale: In England, head teachers have government support to use exclusion as a disciplinary sanction if deemed necessary (Department for Education, 2017a). Research has…

The purpose of this study was to explore administrators' and teachers' experiences and perceptions of how restorative practice strategies impact the execution of school discipline in an urban middle school. This study included a review of data collected from interviews with middle school administrators and teachers in a large school district. A…

The focus of this study was to examine the implementation and impact of Restorative Justice (RJ) and restorative practices in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS) secondary schools. Experiences and perceptions of school administrators, school-level RJ coaches, and central office RJ specialists were examined, and the perceived impact that RJ and…

The phenomenon of adverse childhood experiences (ACE) has been of interest to scholars since the late 1990s when their impact on life outcomes concerning physical and mental health was first acknowledged. Educators are challenged to support students who have experienced ACE, but many have implemented alternative practices such as restorative…

A comprehensive high school located in Southern California exhibited a suspension rate of 11.1%, placing it second among high schools within their district during the 2018-2019 academic year. According to the California School Dashboard (2019), students who were African American, Hispanic, English learners, homeless, had disabilities, and were…

The purpose of this study was to examine the Problem of Practice (POP) to determine if Restorative Practices (RP) can have an impact on the disproportionality of out of school suspensions (OSS) for Black and Multi-Race students at Eastern High School. RP has emerged as a promising intervention to mitigate racially disproportionate practices in…

In recent years, there have been efforts by educators and policymakers to address disparities in the use of suspensions and expulsions. These students are at risk for further academic difficulties, successive suspensions, school drop-out, unemployment, and arrests. To address these concerns, the use of evidenced-based behavior supports are being…

Students placed in a traditional disciplinary program at school are not served in a way that effectively deters them from future infractions and subsequent contacts with administrators or disciplinary referrals. Also, the emphasis of many institutions is reactive, responding to incidents of misbehavior or misconduct. Instead, the focus could be…

The purpose of this mixed methods study was to assess the effect of implementing the restorative practices framework (RPF) on chronic absenteeism and the overall culture at a diverse, suburban middle school in New Jersey from 2017 through 2020. Chronic absenteeism and its impact on students' achievement, success, and sense of belonging are visible…

We report findings from a recent field test assessing the feasibility of training teachers in implementing restorative practices within a multi-tiered approach to supporting student behavior. First, we provide an overview of our training content, training delivery, and follow-up coaching. Second, we present overall outcomes from our field test…

The purpose of this study was to evaluate implementation of a whole school restorative practices model in Saint Paul Public Schools, Minnesota. Their model aims to embed practices to develop equitable relationships, engage students in learning, and respond relationally to behavioral concerns over a three-year period. The evaluation followed three…

This Spotlight explores key aspects of MTSS implementation, including its relationship to special education and effectiveness in improving student outcomes. Discover how MTSS can be used to support social-emotional learning, address discipline disparities, and ensure equitable access to resources and support. By combining data-driven…