Describes some practical techniques that lead to effective classroom discipline and that maintain an optimal learning environment. Suggestions include (1) spending time with students individually; (2) using a variety of techniques to help students make smooth transitions from one activity to another; and (3) constructing contingency contracts to…

Educational policy in British Columbia does not distinguish between special needs and regular class students in relation to discipline practices. Although Canadian courts have generally upheld the rights of school boards rather than the unspecified rights of special needs children, a recent court case suggests the possibility of change. (JW)

Rule changes are summarized and the institutions and conferences voting against some of them are listed. The rules concern institutional self-study, academic reporting, member discipline, coach rule violations, eligibility, expenditures, playing season, compliance, meetings, sponsorship, and playing rules. (MSE)

Surveyed 1,596 adolescents to determine what sort of secondary schools they would like. The majority were happy with the status quo but expected schools to be less authoritarian concerning rules. Students wanted more say in what they learned and better student-teacher relationships. No strong desire for deschooling was indicated. (JAC)

Discipline concerns have consistently been ranked in the top 10 of the most serious problems facing public schools. Discipline problems were examined in 12 urban and rural middle and junior high schools in Utah. For each discipline referral over a 5-week period, a standardized student referral form was completed that documented action taken by the…

This is a transcript from a Joint Hearing of the U.S. Senate Committee on Labor and Human Resources and the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce that addresses the U.S. Department of Education's development of regulations necessary to implement the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of…

This guide is intended to help school administrators to consider the impact of cultural diversity in the development and implementation of school disciplinary policies while complying with the 1997 Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. First it examines how cultural bias, misunderstanding, and insensitivity may impede student and teacher…

This report discusses the outcomes of a study that investigated the incidence and impact of serious student misconduct on schools, whether students with disabilities are being disciplined differently from those without disabilities, and the role that the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act 1997 (IDEA) plays in schools' ability to properly…

The hypothesis that highly militant teachers would favor strict control of students was tested using the Attitudinal Militancy Scale and the Pupil Control Ideology Form. Responses from 229 secondary school teachers from six school districts in the northeastern United States did not support the hypothesis. (PP)

Assertive Discipline (AD) advocates a systematic approach which enables teachers to set firm, consistent limits for students while remaining cognizant of students' need for warmth and positive support. This article describes effective and ineffective teacher disciplinary behaviors, AD competencies, and the implementation of AD at Rice Elementary…

Reviews 1995 case law concerning constitutional due process in college student disciplinary cases. Finds that administrators should follow substantive and procedural rules carefully; disciplinary determinations should not substitute for academic judgments; academic dishonesty should be treated as a disciplinary offense; internships and clinical…

Presents an analysis of the fundamental procedural elements of a student code of conduct, including thoughts on code development and structure. The code elements are illustrated by highlights from court opinions involving student disciplinary matters. (Author/KW)

Discusses the reauthorization of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the opposition of representatives of the disability community to proposed amendments relating to disciplinary procedures for children with disabilities. Provides a summary of the debate between general education organizations and the disability community. (CR)

A total involvement project in a mainstream upper school was initiated by a British local education authority as part of a restructuring of support for pupils with behavioral/emotional difficulties. Exclusion was reduced, the behavioral management structure was improved, and a higher quality of support was offered at earlier stages. (Contains 9…

Discusses distribution of corporal punishment in schools. Data indicate that Black students are more than twice as likely as Whites to be hit by their teachers. Reasons for this disparity and possible solutions to the problem are considered. (JS)