A popular alternative disciplinary framework from zero-tolerance school policies is restorative justice, which refers to a set of ideologies and practices that emphasize healing relationships in lieu of community exclusion. This work investigates the differences between ideological support for restorative approaches compared to program…

Research suggests that the use of Restorative Practice (RP) in schools can foster more positive and inclusive school communities, yet there remains limited research regarding how to embed such practices. As part of a wider study, we present data from school leaders who describe their perspectives on RP and their struggles with implementing it in…

Studies have been conducted for decades on the impact that restorative practices can have on student discipline systems in an educational context, along with the challenges of implementation (Dhaliwal et al, 2023; Marsh, 2017; Blood, 2005; Wearmouth et al, 2007; Drewery, 2016; Jones, 2021, Guckenburg et al, 2015). However, these studies have not…

As the nation reckons with the role that the over-expansion of zero-tolerance discipline policies has played in the disproportionate disciplining of Black girls and Black children as a whole, restorative justice (RJ) has taken center stage in the quest for change. This paper explores the tensions that arise when moving from restorative justice…

This paper uses critical race theory to analyze several case studies focused on the experiences of two restorative justice coordinators (RJCs), both Black women and how they understood and responded to perceived racial injustices in urban schools with white leadership. These schools were attempting to address unequal disciplinary practices toward…

Since 2012, the U.S. Department of Education, U.S. Department of Justice and the Supportive School Discipline Initiative (SSDI) collaborated in helping schools move toward a more restorative way of engaging students, and using suspensions and expulsions only as a last resort. The purpose of this quantitative study was to determine if there is a…

This paper aims to detect the motivations, structures, and conditions that both promote and hinder commitment and buy-in regarding the implementation of restorative practices in schools. In addition, the components that contribute to the long-term sustainability of the restorative idea in school settings are also identified. The article summarizes…

Youth vaping is a concern and schools may use many approaches to discipline students caught vaping at school. This study identified the prevalence of school staff seeing vaping in schools and the measures used to discipline students. A state-wide sample of 7,938 staff from 255 middle and high schools reported whether they saw any students vaping…

Punitive discipline has been utilized in American schools for many years, but restorative justice practices are becoming more common. The researcher examined the literature surrounding punitive discipline and restorative justice practices. The design and purpose of this study was intended to help schools avoid the problems that punitive discipline…

Restorative justice, a nonpunitive alternative to traditional school discipline, emphasizes building and repairing relationships rather than punishing misbehavior. In addition to reducing reliance on suspension, restorative practices correlate with narrowed discipline gaps for minoritized student populations. It is essential for school leaders…

The purpose of this qualitative case study was to explore African American students and school administrators' experiences with out-of-school suspension (OSS) and their perceptions of strategies to reduce suspensions. Researchers have identified research-based strategies to reduce OSS, including restorative practices and Positive Behavior…

This dissertation explores how four critical teachers of color learn and develop through dialogue and reflection about their own educational and life histories as well as their work in ethnic studies classrooms. As K-12 schools in states like California integrate ethnic studies into their curricula, educators are looking to established ethnic…

Discipline inequities across racial, gender, and socioeconomic barriers are a constant in the United States, persisting long after the desegregation of schools in the last century. School divisions and schools across the United States have implemented restorative justice as an alternative to traditional punitive discipline as a potential remedy…

This study tests the impact of adding Restorative Practices within secondary schools implementing the Diplomas Now turnaround model in 8 large U.S. urban districts on: (a) the severity of disciplinary problems in these schools, (b) the probability that students would be suspended three days or more during the school year, and (c) the chronic…

This study sought to understand the varied disciplinary responses and perceptions regarding student drug use. Students caught under the influence or actively using drugs on high school campuses are often suspended and face possible expulsion. Given the racial disproportionalities in student discipline and the adverse academic and life outcomes for…