A questionnaire given to parents, teachers, and principals of middle-school students shows general consistency among the three groups in ranking student behavior problems--except on student use of drugs, alcohol, and tobacco, which is ranked high by parents but low by school authorities. (JW)

Administrators should regard each student threat as legitimate, but need flexibility in how they respond. Getting the facts and following due process are essential. School policy should require that students be referred to law-enforcement officials and specify communication, crisis-management, identification, and preventive/proactive procedures.…

According to this literature review, school practices such as placement of at-risk students in alternative, nontraditional programs, individualized counseling, low student-teacher ratio, heavy vocational emphasis, and peer tutoring successfully lower dropout rates, whereas remediation, retention in grade, tracking, and suspension only exacerbate…

Principals must ensure that school climate promotes acceptance of all races and cultures and discourages racial slurs, jokes, and other acts of bias and discrimination. An Ontario (Canada) school district has developed a comprehensive race relations policy governing six areas: incidents of expressed bias and discrimination, student assessment and…

School administrators are challenged to maintain the delicate balance between protecting individuals' rights and ensuring the general welfare by maintaining a safe, secure learning environment. Legal principles and precedents governing restrictions on student appearance, privacy and procedural rights, harassment and hate crimes, and suicide are…