District Administration - January 2010 - (Page 26)

F SAFETY AND SEcuriTY For the past 15 years, zerotolerance policies for violence in schools have been the driving force behind many—80 to 95 percent by some estimates—of school discipline policies around the country. starting in 1994 with the requirements of the federal Gun-Free schools act and propelled by the shootings at Columbine high school five years later, districts began implementing zero-tolerance policies not just on possessing weapons but on a variety of student behaviors—from bringing in drugs and alcohol to cursing, disrupting class or even violating the dress code. along the way, student suspensions and expulsions multiplied, not to mention the number of referrals to principals’ offices across the nation. But the disciplinary landscape is starting to change in a growing number of schools, especially those in urban districts, where administrators have taken their cues from high-profile reports questioning the effectiveness and fairness of zerotolerance practices. “Up until three years ago, the trend in most large urban districts was going in a more punitive direction,” says Jim Freeman, the project director of the ending the schoolhouse to Jailhouse track project in Washington, D.C. Freeman, who has worked with districts in Denver, Chicago, Baltimore County and Florida to change discipline codes, points to a landmark study in 2006 by the american psychological association that helped turn the tide. “While the standard claim was that zero-tolerance policies would improve school safety, the schools were no safer than before zero tolerance,” he explains. “What the report showed was that zero-tolerance policies turned schools into inhospitable environments that didn’t promote school safety. Now the movement towards alternatives is really picking up in a significant way. There are more bills being introduced and passed, and more districts are rewriting their policies.” texas enacted the latest legislation last 26 January 2010 Students at John F. Kennedy High School in the Denver Public Schools recently walk through the hallways, on their way to class. Since the district changed its discipline policy, more students take responsibility for their actions and respect others. Discipline By roN sChaChter While zero-tolerance policies come into question, urban districts are trying alternatives—and seeing considerable success. spring, requiring school authorities to consider mitigating circumstances in applying zero-tolerance policies. and nationwide, more parents and elected officials want schools to revisit policies, in part due to a recent high-profile case involving a 6-yearold Delaware boy who was suspended after he brought to school a camping tool that included a knife. In large cities such as Denver, Los angeles and New york, meanwhile, school districts have been replacing those policies with the positive Behavior support (pBs) program, an approach to student behavior that emerged in the 1980s and pays careful attention to the social and emotional District Administration

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of District Administration - January 2010

District Administration - January 2010
Table of Contents
From the Editor
News Update
Health Update
Curriculum Update
District Profile
The Feud Over Food
Discipline Gets the Boot
Cutting Technology Costs with Refurbished Computers
Will Pensions Bankrupt Your District?
Tech Disruptions
Crisis Response
Supervisor’s Opinion
Product Focus
New Products
Online Edge

District Administration - January 2010