The report contains real-world, proven school climate strategies to guide policymakers in building a comprehensive and coherent state-wide approach for improving school climate. It features 12 recommendations linked to existing state policy examples policymakers can use to build a comprehensive, coherent state-wide approach for improving school…

Because of continued concern about school violence, this policy brief examines the trends in school violence in the context of social violence, describes efforts to make schools safe, and reports efforts to curb violence in the four-state Appalachian region (Kentucky, Tennessee, Virginia, and West Virginia). Perceptions of the extent of school…

Student punishment has received increased scrutiny; one of the concerns is that not all students are punished equally. This paper presents findings of a study that investigated whether race, gender, or existence of student disability affected punishment practices in an eastern Kentucky school district. Since corporal punishment had been banned in…

This report is a summary of research completed during the 1978-79 school year concerning the causes of disproportionate minority student suspensions in the Jefferson County public schools. A review of related literature is presented to illustrate that factors other than student behavior may contribute to school disruptions and high rates of…

When Jason Johnson, a student at the University of the Cumberlands in the eastern Kentucky hills, posted comments about his new boyfriend on his Myspace.com Web page, he unintentionally sparked a controversy that quickly embroiled the college, the president of the state senate, and Kentucky Governor Ernie Fletcher. The Baptist-affiliated college,…

This code of student conduct prescribes rules, procedures, rights and responsibilities governing non-academic relationships, academic relationships, and student records for students in the Kentucky system of community colleges. Part I of this code, concerning non-academic relationships, describes the structure, function, role, and scope of…

This document summarizes the rights and responsibilities of students in the University of Kentucky community college system. Part I deals with rules and procedures governing non-academic relationships between students and the University. The discussion is organized into five articles which have been adopted by the University Board of Trustees and…

The purposes of the study were to: (1) identify the issues addressed at the due process hearings in this southeastern state, and (2) examine the implications for educators. Due process hearing decisions rendered since 1994, a total of 31 were reviewed. Results of the study showed that student placement was the most common issue for which a due…

This report (based on testimony presented at a 1984 public hearing and a review of the literature on educational reform) addresses the role of equity in attaining effective public education, especially in Kentucky, by describing educational problems of that State. The basic premise is that excellence cannot be achieved without equity, and that…