Instead of Suspension: Alternative Strategies for Effective School Discipline

Abstract

This report catalogues eleven alternatives to school discipline designed to transform school discipline from a system of punishment to a system of student development. The various alternatives have been shown to improve student behavior, maintain school safety, and enhance academic achievement. The approaches fall into three categories. First are programs that seek to improve the culture within an entire school. They rely on professional development to encourage all school staff to implement positive behavioral interventions. Second are programs that teach individual professionals better skills in behavior management and student discipline. Both teachers and school resource officers are targeted by these programs that teach adolescent development and effective conflict resolution. Third are approaches that change the response of school to misbehavior by students. These approaches either replace school suspension with another type of response to misconduct or offer alternative activities to students during times of suspension. Most aim to help students avoid future misconduct. The final strategy highlighted in the report, Policies Reducing the Use of Suspension as a Discipline Tool, can complement any of the other approaches described.