School Resource Officers (SRO) are sworn-in police officers; however, while performing the job functions of an SRO they must adhere to the Memorandum of Understanding between SRO and the school in which they are employed. This study explored the perceptions of school administrators on the job functions of SROs within a particular school and how…

Exclusionary disciplinary practices negatively and disproportionately impact Black students academically, socially, and emotionally and have been attributed to the school-to-prison pipeline. This research was conducted to determine the impact of restorative justice practices on exclusionary discipline by evaluating the lived experiences of school…

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…

The successful implementation of school-wide positive behavior support (SWPBS) relies greatly on staff's commitment and buy-in, as these factors directly impact the level of their involvement and engagement. As such, it is crucial to develop and use psychometrically sound tools to measure staff's supportive beliefs regarding SWPBS. In this study,…

This study sought to understand how state-level policies inform and promote the implementation of restorative justice in education (RJE). A content analysis of 60 laws revealed that definitions, structures, and supports varied greatly, causing us to question whether policies support a systematic implementation of RJE and how policies can prevent…

In some states, alternative schooling options are provided for specific student populations. State statute or regulation commonly notes which alternatives are available, which entity is responsible for establishing or providing such alternatives and for which student populations these alternatives are made available. This data point highlights…

Many prior studies have documented disparities in school discipline practices across racial, economic, and other student characteristics. The primary purpose of this study was to determine the extent to which students affected by intergenerational poverty (IGP) received infractions (incidents) and experienced exclusionary disciplines (suspensions…

Policy analysis studies conducted in various countries have highlighted strengths and weaknesses in university academic integrity policy documents that outline expectations for student conduct while undertaking scholarly work. Missing from the literature is a review of such policies currently in place at the eight public universities in Aotearoa…

A large body of research has documented the ineffectiveness and detrimental effects of punitive discipline policies and practices in schools. Though the anti-punitive discipline reform movement has grown in the last two decades, punitive discipline practices persist as the most prevalent approach to addressing behavior-related issues in U.S.…

While racially minoritized students are gaining access and enrolling in post-secondary institutions at higher rates, institutionalized oppression and exclusionary practices impact students' experience and success. Colleges and universities have an obligation to create environments that are welcoming, just, and fair for all students who choose to…

In May 2023, the Civil Rights Division (the Division) of the U.S. Department of Justice and the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) at the U.S. Department of Education jointly released this Resource on Confronting Racial Discrimination in Student Discipline. The Resource demonstrates the departments' ongoing commitment to the vigorous enforcement of…

The initial critical event precipitating the problem of practice at my school was the repercussions of the mass shooting at Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School, Parkland, Florida on February 14, 2018. This shooting and the resulting legislative mandates of Florida Senate Bill 7026, led to my administrative decision to adopt Restorative Practices…

National trends show that students with disabilities are often disciplined more harshly than regular or general education students. This study aims to compare the percentage of suspensions and expulsions given to students in Louisiana with disabilities and general education students in Head Start through grade twelve over a five-year period based…

This paper examines the restorative justice system and the importance of integrating students back into the regular classroom following a disciplinary action. Through preventative measures, resolving conflict, and transforming the behavior, students can be reintegrated back into the classroom environment without much loss of learning time.

We examined changes in school discipline policies and the odds of suspension for students by race in one state. Consistent with previous research findings, Black students continue to be suspended at higher rates than White students. School district code of conduct policies indicated that many school districts have started to incorporate…