Recommendations
Recommendation III Mandate Mediation as a First Step in the Discipline Guidelines for all Offenses but the Most Serious Offenses Rationale: The VBCPS Code of Student Conduct currently provides for mediation as a disciplinary action at ‘Level 3 Intervention.’ Ø Mediation is successfully used as alternative dispute resolution in the legal world. Ø Mediation allows both sides of a conflict to have a say. Ø Mediation resolves disputes before they escalate into larger problems. Ø Mediation provides for a neutral third party to listen and decide. Ø Mediation supports restorative justice and builds connections. Ø Mediation forces introspective thought by all parties. SOURCE: http://www.vbschools.com/students/conduct /content/pdfs/CodeStudentConduct.pdf
SOURCE: http://www.wrightofer.com/uploads/2/0/5/6/2 0561318/examining_the_effects_of_schoolwide_positive_behavioral_interventions.pdf
Recommendation V Establish an Office of Opportunity and Achievement Rationale: Students of color, particularly African American males, are represented substantially at the bottom rungs of achievement—lagging behind their counterparts in G.P.A, AP courses taken and graduation rates. They are also more often suspended for similar offenses committed by their peers. The major consequence of the statistics is an achievement gap; thus, the development of strategies, policies and programs to shift the outcomes of this demographic are needed. The Office of Opportunity and Achievement will serve as the entity to oversee the implementation of the aforementioned, collaborating with a variety of departments to ensure superior results and the disappearance of the achievement gap. SOURCES: http://www.ousd.org/Page/495
Recommendation IV
http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us/obmsa
Student Discipline Task Force Recommendations
SDTF Vision Statement All students will be treated equitably in a culture of respect, empathy and support in order to flourish and reach their fullest potential.
SDTF Goals
Implement Divisionwide PBIS Rationale: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a data-driven decision making framework for establishing the social culture and behavioral supports needed for a school to be an effective learning environment for all students. Experimental research indicates that implementing a school-wide PBIS approach to behavior often sees reduction in problem behavior, increased academic performance, increased attendance, improved perception of safety, improved organizational efficiency, reduction in staff turnover, increased perception of teacher efficacy and reduction in teacher-reported bullying behavior and peer rejection.
VIRGINIA BEACH CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Department of School Leadership Office of Equity Affairs
Department of School Leadership Office of Equity Affairs Dr. Aaron C. Spence, Superintendent Mr. Rashard J. Wright, Chief Schools Officer Mrs. Jobynia G. Caldwell, Director of Equity Affairs
1. Reducing the number of incidents that lead to suspensions administered throughout the division 2. Closing the disproportionate gap in the number of suspensions for African American males and their counterparts 3. Maximizing instructional time for all students
Charles S. Corprew III, Ph.D. Consultant & Facilitator
January 9, 2016
1 2
Compass to 2020: Charting the Course is the strategic framework of VBCPS. This framework charts the course for teaching and learning across the school division with the focus of ensuring that every child is challenged and supported to reach his or her full potential. The SDTF recommendations are clearly aligned with the following goals from Compass to 2020: Goal 1: High Academic Expectations All students will be challenged and supported to achieve a high standard of academic performance and growth; gaps between these expectations and the realities for our student subgroups will be addressed.
Goal 3: Social-Emotional Development All students will benefit from an educational experience that fosters their social and emotional development.
Recommendations Recommendation I Transform Professional Learning § Divisionwide professional learning on discipline disproportionality (all encompassing) Rationale: To make the faculty, staff and community aware of the issue and its statistics and to provide the moral imperative for action and counter the mentality of ‘why we are doing this?’ If you do not believe there is a problem—you will never buy in and become part of the solution. SOURCES:
http://padresunidos.org/sites/pju/files/mediaroot/College%20Prep/North_High_Report_0.pdf http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/sites/all/modules/file manager/files/Acknowledging-Race_121514.pdf https://www.ubalt.edu/cpa/schaefer-center/minority_suspensions_report_revised.pdf
§ Discipline professional learning for all principals and assistant principals that includes cultural awareness and competency Rationale: Administrator consistency training regarding discipline was a team leverage point toward closing the disproportionate gap of suspensions for African American male students and their counterparts. SOURCE: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-04292011161142/unrestricted/Kindelan_JK_D_2011.pdf
§ Divisionwide Mandt Training with three-year recertification [The Mandt System is a comprehensive, integrated approach to preventing, de-escalating and if necessary, intervening when the behavior of an individual poses a threat of harm to themselves and/or others.] Rationale: Administration and staff must foster a climate where positive, effective and appropriate communication is the expectation. They must also foster a climate that is safe, inviting, civil, equitable, supportive and empathetic. SOURCE: http://www.mandtsystem.com
§ Build staff capacity to increase cultural competence and reduce implicit bias—trained school administrators partnered with dedicated culturally competent teachers Rationale: Maximizes instructional time by supporting teachers in providing culturally relevant instruction that will engage and motivate the diverse needs of students. Through a reduction of implicit biases, all students will benefit from high expectations for learning. SOURCES: http://www.apsva.us/cms/lib2/VA01000586/Centricity/Domain/ 104/Strategies%20for%20Building%20Cultural%20Competence .pdf http://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/research/understanding-implicitbias/
Recommendation II Increase the Number of School Psychologists Rationale: Based on data from the National Institute for Mental Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 20% of school aged children and adolescents have mental illnesses. Teachers need to understand the impact of mental illness on students in their classes and the academic and behavioral concerns that need to be addressed.
School psychologists are specially trained in mental health, psychopathology and educational and behavioral interventions. They can assist teachers in understanding and helping address issues with their students who have behavioral and emotional issues related to mental illness. They can consult with teachers on how to individualize instruction, manage classroom behavior, monitor student progress, evaluate classroom data and adjust intervention and instructional strategies to make content accessible to every student. They can also provide mental health services that include wellness and prevention programming, risk assessment and interventions as well as counseling for students who are experiencing emotional difficulties that impede their ability to learn. SOURCES: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics.htm
SOURCE: http://www.wrightofer.com/uploads/2/0/5/6/2 0561318/examining_the_effects_of_schoolwide_positive_behavioral_interventions.pdf
Recommendation V Establish an Office of Opportunity and Achievement Rationale: Students of color, particularly African American males, are represented substantially at the bottom rungs of achievement—lagging behind their counterparts in G.P.A, AP courses taken and graduation rates. They are also more often suspended for similar offenses committed by their peers. The major consequence of the statistics is an achievement gap; thus, the development of strategies, policies and programs to shift the outcomes of this demographic are needed. The Office of Opportunity and Achievement will serve as the entity to oversee the implementation of the aforementioned, collaborating with a variety of departments to ensure superior results and the disappearance of the achievement gap. SOURCES: http://www.ousd.org/Page/495
Recommendation IV
http://www.mpls.k12.mn.us/obmsa
Student Discipline Task Force Recommendations
SDTF Vision Statement All students will be treated equitably in a culture of respect, empathy and support in order to flourish and reach their fullest potential.
SDTF Goals
Implement Divisionwide PBIS Rationale: Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a data-driven decision making framework for establishing the social culture and behavioral supports needed for a school to be an effective learning environment for all students. Experimental research indicates that implementing a school-wide PBIS approach to behavior often sees reduction in problem behavior, increased academic performance, increased attendance, improved perception of safety, improved organizational efficiency, reduction in staff turnover, increased perception of teacher efficacy and reduction in teacher-reported bullying behavior and peer rejection.
VIRGINIA BEACH CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS Department of School Leadership Office of Equity Affairs
Department of School Leadership Office of Equity Affairs Dr. Aaron C. Spence, Superintendent Mr. Rashard J. Wright, Chief Schools Officer Mrs. Jobynia G. Caldwell, Director of Equity Affairs
1. Reducing the number of incidents that lead to suspensions administered throughout the division 2. Closing the disproportionate gap in the number of suspensions for African American males and their counterparts 3. Maximizing instructional time for all students
Charles S. Corprew III, Ph.D. Consultant & Facilitator
January 9, 2016
1 2
Compass to 2020: Charting the Course is the strategic framework of VBCPS. This framework charts the course for teaching and learning across the school division with the focus of ensuring that every child is challenged and supported to reach his or her full potential. The SDTF recommendations are clearly aligned with the following goals from Compass to 2020: Goal 1: High Academic Expectations All students will be challenged and supported to achieve a high standard of academic performance and growth; gaps between these expectations and the realities for our student subgroups will be addressed.
Goal 3: Social-Emotional Development All students will benefit from an educational experience that fosters their social and emotional development.
Recommendations Recommendation I Transform Professional Learning § Divisionwide professional learning on discipline disproportionality (all encompassing) Rationale: To make the faculty, staff and community aware of the issue and its statistics and to provide the moral imperative for action and counter the mentality of ‘why we are doing this?’ If you do not believe there is a problem—you will never buy in and become part of the solution. SOURCES:
http://padresunidos.org/sites/pju/files/mediaroot/College%20Prep/North_High_Report_0.pdf http://www.atlanticphilanthropies.org/sites/all/modules/file manager/files/Acknowledging-Race_121514.pdf https://www.ubalt.edu/cpa/schaefer-center/minority_suspensions_report_revised.pdf
§ Discipline professional learning for all principals and assistant principals that includes cultural awareness and competency Rationale: Administrator consistency training regarding discipline was a team leverage point toward closing the disproportionate gap of suspensions for African American male students and their counterparts. SOURCE: http://scholar.lib.vt.edu/theses/available/etd-04292011161142/unrestricted/Kindelan_JK_D_2011.pdf
§ Divisionwide Mandt Training with three-year recertification [The Mandt System is a comprehensive, integrated approach to preventing, de-escalating and if necessary, intervening when the behavior of an individual poses a threat of harm to themselves and/or others.] Rationale: Administration and staff must foster a climate where positive, effective and appropriate communication is the expectation. They must also foster a climate that is safe, inviting, civil, equitable, supportive and empathetic. SOURCE: http://www.mandtsystem.com
§ Build staff capacity to increase cultural competence and reduce implicit bias—trained school administrators partnered with dedicated culturally competent teachers Rationale: Maximizes instructional time by supporting teachers in providing culturally relevant instruction that will engage and motivate the diverse needs of students. Through a reduction of implicit biases, all students will benefit from high expectations for learning. SOURCES: http://www.apsva.us/cms/lib2/VA01000586/Centricity/Domain/ 104/Strategies%20for%20Building%20Cultural%20Competence .pdf http://kirwaninstitute.osu.edu/research/understanding-implicitbias/
Recommendation II Increase the Number of School Psychologists Rationale: Based on data from the National Institute for Mental Health and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, approximately 20% of school aged children and adolescents have mental illnesses. Teachers need to understand the impact of mental illness on students in their classes and the academic and behavioral concerns that need to be addressed.
School psychologists are specially trained in mental health, psychopathology and educational and behavioral interventions. They can assist teachers in understanding and helping address issues with their students who have behavioral and emotional issues related to mental illness. They can consult with teachers on how to individualize instruction, manage classroom behavior, monitor student progress, evaluate classroom data and adjust intervention and instructional strategies to make content accessible to every student. They can also provide mental health services that include wellness and prevention programming, risk assessment and interventions as well as counseling for students who are experiencing emotional difficulties that impede their ability to learn. SOURCES: https://www.nimh.nih.gov/index.shtml http://www.cdc.gov/mentalhealth/basics.htm
