The problem that this Education Leadership Portfolio (ELP) sought to address was the traditional conduct resolution (TCR) process at the University of Delaware (UD) provides too few options to resolve conduct and conflict issues that promote learning and personal growth for students who do not pose a potential threat to those involved or the UD…

The challenge of managing student behavior and fostering a positive school culture has become increasingly important, especially among schools serving diverse and marginalized populations. Restorative Justice Practices (RJP) offer a promising solution by focusing on conflict resolution and relationship-building rather than punitive measures. This…

The literature base on Restorative Practice (RP) outcomes suggests that schools that adopt RP experience reductions in suspensions/expulsions and improved school climate. Yet data suggests disproportionality in exclusionary disciplinary practices persist. Less is known about whether there are differences among student populations in their…

Currently, there is limited data available evaluating the benefits of implementing social-emotional learning (SEL) programs independently in high schools. There is a moderate level of literature examining the outcomes of Restorative Justice at the high school level. Collectively, both interventions have been documented to yield positive findings…

Trauma, including abandonment, neglect, poverty, or abuse, affects students. Because of this, a classroom community is vulnerable to the sheer unpredictability of behaviors. Students who have experienced trauma need support in order to create a classroom community where they can thrive and learn. This study examines a Whole-Child Approach…

This study examines how restorative practice takes shape in a single, racially diverse interdistrict school in the Northeast. It focuses on two fundamental questions: what does restorative practice look like at this school; and to whom is restorative practice applied at this school? Using critical race theory as a contextual and analytical…