Jason Sinocruz Advancement Project

From Rigid To Responsive:Better Approaches to School DisciplineCOSEBOC Webinar SeriesDecember 5, 2012 Jason Sinocruz Advancement Project

Agenda What is Advancement Project? Background Information on Zero Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline Advancement Project’s Local Work National Attention on School Discipline Reform What Can You Do?

What is Advancement Project? • Racial justice civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C. • Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track Project • Work with grassroots groups to end the school-to-prison pipeline in their communities. • Aim to change the national conversation on STPP. • Provide resources and best practices on school discipline. • Active in more than a dozen sites, including (but not limited to) New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Colorado.

Origins of “Zero Tolerance” 1980s: “Zero Tolerance” drug policies 1990s: Columbine tragedy – “zero tolerance”

Re-Characterization of Student Behavior Pushing & shoving “Battery” “Theft” or “robbery” Swiping headphones Talking back “Disorderly conduct”

Billion$ of Wa$ted Dollar$

DEFINITION: The policies and practices that are directly and indirectly pushing students out of school and on a pathway to prison.

Who are we arresting?

A Movement Emerges… In response, there is now a national movement around the elimination of these harsh policies and practices. • Parent and student resistance • District reform • State legislative reform • Federal attention

Chicago Partner: Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE) • In the last year: • Brought attention to overly punitive disciplinary fines imposed by prominent charter network. • Edited discipline code with following key provisions: • Reduced number of days students could be suspended for certain minor acts. • Eliminated automatic 10 day suspension for worst offenses.

Philadelphia Partner: Youth United for Change (YUC) • In the last few years: • Published report on zero tolerance problem within local schools. • Revised discipline code with following provisions: • No more out-of-school suspensions for unreasonable behaviors (e.g. dress code violations). • Added protections for gender expression.

Denver Partner: Padres y JovenesUnidos • In the past five years: • Rewrote the discipline code. • Implemented restorative justice program. • Passed statewide law on “Smarter School Discipline.” • In the process of: • Rewriting the memorandum of understanding between police and district. • Aligning the new discipline code with new state law.

Denver Public Schools 2007-08 School Year 10,161 Out-of-School Suspensions DOWN 40% 2011-12 School Year 6,076 Out-of-School Suspensions

Baltimore Public Schools Suspensions DOWN 63% New Discipline Code

State of Florida Referrals DOWN 12,000 Between 2004-05 and 2010-11

National Attention on School Discipline Reform in 2012 • Advancement Project Regional Action Camps • School-Justice Partnership Summit • Department of Justice lawsuit in Meridian, Mississippi • Dignity in Schools Campaign – call for moratorium on out-of-school suspensions • Ed Week series on school discipline • Senate Subcommittee Hearing on School-to-Prison Pipeline by Senator Durbin (D-IL)

What Can You Do? • Learn more about the School-to-Prison pipeline. Visit the Digital Library at http://www.advancementproject.org

What Can You Do? • Look to the Advancement Project Action Kit for models of good discipline policy and examples of how to collect good data. See http://www.stopschoolstojails.org for more information

What Can You Do? • Collect and report disaggregated and thorough school discipline data. • Use the data to track successes, areas for improvement, and develop alternative practices. U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection: Visit http://ocrdata.ed.gov/ to look up information on your area

What Can You Do? • Create or revise the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between your schools and local law enforcement agencies.

What Can You Do? • Seek changes to applicable local, county, and state laws and policies • Reduce/end overuse of suspensions, expulsions, and arrests in schools

25 Classroom & In-School Alternatives to Suspensions, Expulsions, and Arrests Reminder and/or re-direction Re-teaching of expectations and skills Student/teacher conference Loss of privileges Role-play Written apology Mini-course/training on topics such as conflict resolution, anger management, social skills, or appropriate behavior Time-out/chill-out period Reflective essay or other reflective activity Independent study Parental outreach Student/teacher/parent conference Detention Referral to after-school program • Saturday School • Restorative practices, such as peace circles • Referral to support staff, such as guidance counselor, social worker, or nurse • Self-charting of behaviors • Daily report card on behavior, task completion, and achievement • Referral to an in-school suspension center or support center • Restitution • Community service • Mentoring • Modified/adjusted schedule, including changes to the student’s overall schedule or course content • Referral to community-based services

What Can You Do? • Leverage budgetary authority • Divert funding used for law enforcement personnel and security infrastructure to: • Prevention and intervention measures such as restorative justice. • Social workers, school psychologists, and guidance counselors.

What Can You Do? • Listen to and prioritize input from community members, parents, and especially youth. • Create regular and productive opportunities for administrators, parents, and students to engage in meaningful dialogue about school discipline.

For More Information . . . • Go to: • www.advancementproject.org • www.stopschoolstojails.org • Contact info: • Jason Sinocruz, Staff Attorney jsinocruz@advancementproject.org

Jason Sinocruz Advancement Project