Teens may leave school because of academic failure, disciplinary problems, or employment opportunities. In this article, the authors test whether the reasons dropouts leave school differ by grade level and age. We compare dropout rates and reasons across grade levels and ages for all high school students, ethnic groups, and gender groups. Across…

Schools are seeing an influx of disruptive behaviors related to an increase in emotional and behavioral issues. In the adolescent population, emotional and behavioral problems are manifested in a variety of forms and often result in some form of discipline within the school setting. Although discipline punishes the unwanted behavior, it does…

Five options for the improvement of discipline in the public school system in the eighties include more rules and harsher punishments, better teacher training in classroom management, relaxation of student suspension guidelines, increased campus security personnel and equipment, and changes in the juvenile justice system. (JN)

Uses pragmatist theories of inquiry and communication to interpret and critique resistance theories in education. Uses the notion of transactionalism of J. Dewey and A. Bentley (1946) to develop a theoretical framework for inquiry into school opposition. This approach, rather than simple avoidance or punishment, can lead to school-based inquiry…

The in-school suspension program (ISS) for grades 6-12 in Thomas County, Georgia, is described in this report. The program retains students in school, offers individual help, and provides the opportunity to stay on task. During the suspension period, students are placed in individualized carrels in the suspension center and must complete…

Teachers can solve discipline problems, motivate students, and improve their own teaching by using writing assignments for communication purposes. Students get a chance to talk on paper, reflect on a situation, and avoid detention. Free writing can motivate students to do assignments and participate in class activities. Writing assignment…

Using administrative data on public school students in North Carolina, we find that sixth grade students attending middle schools are much more likely to be cited for discipline problems than those attending elementary school. That difference remains after adjusting for the socioeconomic and demographic characteristics of the students and their…

In response to growing public concern over declining educational quality and discipline problems in today's schools, this paper reviews research on the causes of school disruption and student misbehavior, identifies promising ameliorative strategies, and examines specific research-practitioner collaborations that have successfully reduced school…

It is proposed that a disciplinary Saturday school may be a good alternative to student suspension because it solves many of the problems involved with suspending students from school. Allowing students to attend Saturday school rather than being suspended gives them an opportunity to improve their grades and to attend all their regular classes.…

Although prepackaged curriculum and training program materials can save precious time, they can also negatively affect efforts to improve school and classroom discipline. Obedience models often yield quick results at the expense of developing responsible students who understand the important principles underlying school rules. (MLH)

When compared with regular schools in the same district, fundamental school students performed as well as or better than regular school students; fundamental schools rated better on learning climate, discipline, and suspensions; and there were no differences in student self-concept. (Author/BW)

The New York State Board of Education's Division of School Safety is responsible for maintaining a safe and secure environment to ensure that schools are free from disruption. This report presents findings of an audit that investigated whether the division's incident reporting system database accurately captured all school safety incidents that…

The Escuela Internacional Sampedrana (EIS) in Honduras implemented a new discipline program in its Primary School during the 1996-97 school year. This paper contains findings from three evaluations of the program--an initial analysis, a midyear report, and a year-end report. The first report analyzed the number of suspensions and detentions, as…

Issues in suspension reform are examined in this document, which identifies the need for reform in the Oakland, California, public schools and offers suggestions. Data was derived from the conclusions of educational researchers, experiences of educators and students, and analysis of local data. Following the overview, which asserts that the level…

Many students attending public schools exhibit discipline problems such as disruptive classroom behaviour, vandalism, bullying, and violence. Establishing effective discipline practices is critical to ensure academic success and to provide a safe learning environment. In this article, we describe the effects of whole-school positive behaviour…