Missed instruction can have a devastating impact on educational outcomes. Some reasons for missed instruction are beyond the control of schools and districts: some students miss school due to mental or physical illness or injury, and transportation problems sometimes are to blame. One major reason for missed instruction that schools can directly…

The 2022 Legislature directed the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to create an advisory workgroup with specific participants to report back on topics related to student isolation and seclusion. This legislative report provides a background on the workgroup, history of isolation and restraint, current practices in the state of…

Developing positive school climates and improving school discipline policies and practices are critical steps to raising academic achievement and supporting student success. However, there is no single formula for doing so. Rather, the growing body of research and best practices in the field should inform locally developed approaches to improving…

Public school districts in Buffalo, USA and Toronto, Canada reviewed their safe schools policies in 2008. Revised Codes of Conduct are compared to earlier versions and each other, and a conceptual policy web is used to understand how local, state/provincial, national, and international influences affect local safe school policies. The comparison…

Everybody agrees that school bullying is a major problem, but considerable controversy exists over the best way to address the problem. The following discussion presents (a) a brief analysis and synthesis of the current state of the art, (b) underscores the need to avoid another piecemeal set of policy and practice initiatives, and (c) stresses…

The comprehensive reports released by the National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism's (NIAAA's) Task Force on College Drinking turned a national spotlight on the problem of harmful drinking among college students. The central report, "A Call to Action: Changing the Culture of Drinking at U.S. Colleges," has proven influential in the…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Positive Attendance for Secondary Schools (PASS) is established to discourage pupils from absenting themselves from high school classes and/or frequently reporting late to class in violation of state law and school policies. This program shall be for pupils who exceed six truancies and/or unexcused…

Ways in which school leaders can establish "safe schools" are detailed in this guide book. It offers suggestions on how to involve students, parents, law enforcement officials, business and community leaders, and other concerned citizens. This resource guide is designed to help administrators accomplish five goals: (1) assess the school climate by…

For many students in the 1990s, school is no longer a safe environment in which they feel free to learn. This brief is intended to dispel myths about peer sexual harassment and clarify the new realities of the phenomenon in schools. The brief also conveys the message that school administrators have a duty to foster a school environment based on…

Whilst school violence is a major public concern and a focus of educational reforms both in the USA and South Korea, few studies have comparatively examined the rates of school violence and school factors associated with them. Analysing nationally-representative data from eighth graders, their mathematics teachers and principals in 150 South…

THE FOLLOWING IS THE FULL TEXT OF THIS DOCUMENT: Truancy sweeps, a cooperative effort of the high school district, Santa Maria Police Department, and Santa Barbara Sheriff's Department, gave us a valuable insight. The sweeps, unannounced to the public but coordinated by high school assistant principals and law enforcement agencies, were part of a…

A state-mandated survey was conducted of 255 special education administrators in California concerning support for students receiving special education services who engage in severe problem behaviors in school settings. A student with severe behavior problems was defined as a student with mild, moderate, severe, or profound intellectual…

Examines a U.S. Supreme Court decision upholding the Bethel, Washington, school district in disciplining a student for giving a sexually provocative speech. Cautions against a possible trend toward renewed school emphasis on dress codes and other issues of decorum. (IW)

This paper focuses on four functions common to colleges and universities that can be a source of liability when plaintiffs seek to impose on the school duties of care relating to alcohol or drug abuse: the college's limited role (1) as supervisor of student conduct; (2) as property owner; (3) as seller of alcohol; and (4) as "social…

Asserts that school violence is a major educational problem and reflects the increased violence in society. Examines responses by administrators and boards of education to school violence. Categorizes school policies regarding violence into deterrence, prevention, and treatment and discusses their effectiveness. (CFR)