Although metal detectors, guards, and law enforcement officers are intended to protect students and maintain a safe educational environment, the actual effectiveness of such measures is unclear, especially when it comes to protecting Black students. Charles Bell interviewed Black students from urban and suburban schools across Michigan and learned…

Social distancing and school closures forced by the COVID-19 pandemic present extraordinary challenges for education. While the nation is just beginning to understand the impact of the last few months and what the months ahead will mean for students, families, and educators, the depth of students' connectedness to school and the quality of their…

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…

Over the past decade, many schools have adopted zero-tolerance policies to curtail negative student behavior. Such policies persist although "there is as yet little evidence that the strategies typically associated with zero tolerance contribute to improved student behavior or overall school safety." Suspension and expulsion result in…

Until recently, school executives have been too busy responding to growing school violence to worry about their own safety. Although teachers and students are most common targets, recent murders of three superintendents and an assistant principal show top administrators are vulnerable to misdirected anger and frustration. Administrators should not…

This policy statement from the Michigan Department of Education interprets federal provisions and the laws of the state as they may pertain to children receiving special education services. It describes disciplinary procedures for students already receiving special education services, students not yet eligible for special education, students…