Current zero-tolerance discipline policies are ineffective and contribute to disproportionality in school discipline. Restorative justice practices (RJP) are an equitable alternative approach to exclusionary practices. RJP has been used in schools prior to adequate research informing implementation, which has led to variability in implementation…

The use of exclusionary discipline practices in schools has been well documented since the 1970s with the passing of the Safe Schools Act and implementation of zero-tolerance policies. Despite research indicating the ineffectiveness of exclusionary practices, students continue to receive suspensions and expulsions at alarming rates. Additional…

Two years after the State of Illinois enacted an extensive non-exclusionary discipline reform in schools, 322 key discipline gatekeepers were surveyed about the extent and impact of the new state policy. The results showed that several core provisions of the reform had not been fully implemented or addressed through professional development.…

Two years after the State of Illinois enacted an extensive non-exclusionary discipline reform in schools, 322 key discipline gatekeepers in schools were surveyed about the extent and impact of its implementation. The results showed that a number of core provisions of the reform had not been fully implemented or addressed through professional…

Zero tolerance policies have contributed to suspension and expulsion becoming common methods of addressing problem behaviors in schools. If suspension and expulsion are being used as forms of punishment, they should theoretically result in a reduction of problem behavior after their administration. In reality, exclusionary disciplinary practices…

According to higher education policy experts, "Campus threat assessment is not merely a recommendation, but an emerging standard of care." However, despite evidence of the emergence of this standard and the consistency of recommendations that comport with those made by the Virginia Tech Review Panel, college campuses continue to vary…

The focus of this dissertation is on the impact that zero tolerance policies have had on public education, and the need for an alternative approach to addressing student discipline. This research study introduces restorative practices as an alternative approach that has shown to be successful in changing school culture, by building positive…

Many public schools currently have organizational structures that form barriers for dealing more effectively with students' challenging behaviors even though positive school-wide approaches exist and provide empirical support for their use. Nevertheless, resistance to change occurs at both institutional and individual levels. Improving student…

Although there can be no dispute that schools must do all that can be done to ensure the safety of learning environments, controversy has arisen about the use of zero tolerance policies and procedures to achieve those aims. In response to that controversy, and to assess the extent to which current practice benefits students and schools, the…

In this article, the author discusses the effects of zero-tolerance policies in schools and depicts how the policies no longer make schools safe, even though many educators see them as the backbone of school discipline. A 2000 study by the American Educational Research Association (AERA) confirms that stringent zero-tolerance policies, though…

California Assembly Bill 922 was signed into law as an urgency measure in October 1995. It assigned responsibility for expelled students to counties and school districts. This report is the first of a series of evaluation reports that will be disseminated on programs implemented in the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) to satisfy the…

After four years of implementation, the National Center for Education Statistics found that schools employing zero-tolerance policies are still less safe than those without such policies. Indiscriminate use of force is the hallmark of authoritarianism. Programmatic prevention, screening and early identification, and effective discipline policies…

The recent escalation of zero-tolerance weapons policies was predicated on a (mis)perceived increase in school-related shootings. When administering such policies, principals should reaffirm the policy message, clarify consequences, be careful with evidence, clear their calendars, prepare a communication plan, and coordinate responses to the…

In a survey commissioned by the Hamilton Fish Institute, Education Law Center (ELC), surveyed key national education stakeholder groups to determine their position on zero tolerance student discipline policies and school safety, and whether the organizations are involved in any work on zero tolerance policies. Implementation of these policies is…