Discipline

Early Learning

January 5, 2021

Why California needs to ban preschool suspensions and expulsions, experts say

Harsh discipline at such an early age can have lasting consequences.

June 25, 2020

California school districts should spend less on police, more on counselors, state leaders say

But the state needs to take stronger action to reform campus discipline, advocates say.

Carolyn Jones

Full Circle: California schools work to transform discipline

December 13, 2019

L.A. Unified’s ban on willful defiance suspensions, six years later

The Los Angeles district may provide lessons for California as it eliminates K-8 defiance suspensions across the state.

October 29, 2019

In-school suspensions the answer to school discipline? Not necessarily, experts say

Counseling and tutoring should be embedded in school discipline programs, experts said.

May 20, 2019

Lawsuit challenges use of restraint, seclusion in California special education school

The guardians of four special education students claim their children were illegally put in restraint holds and secluded.

August 31, 2018

California lawmakers pass limits on restraint and seclusion in schools

The bill would also reinstate requirements for schools to collect and report data on student restraint, and ban certain restraint techniques.

August 31, 2018

The price of punishment — new report shows students nationwide lost 11 million school days due to suspensions

The report, based on federal government data from 2015-16, also found that racial disparities in suspensions remain an acute problem. Nationwide, African-American students lost five times as many days as white students.

David Washburn

February 28, 2018

Forecast for California school climates remains cloudy without good data, advocates say

School districts are trying a variety of strategies aimed at creating safe and welcoming school environments, but there is controversy over the role and frequency of student surveys, and how to use them.

David Washburn

February 15, 2018

Countdown to expand ban on ‘willful defiance’ suspensions in California schools

With the current ban on such suspensions for grades K-3 set to expire in July, a bill that would expand the ban to include all schools is making its way through the state Legislature.

David Washburn

Discipline

November 1, 2017

Suspension, expulsion rates fall sharply in California, but racial and ethnic disparities remain

New state data shows 46 percent drop in school suspensions over the last five years. The suspension rate for African American students in 2016-17 was 9.8 percent, for Latino students 3.7 percent, for white students 3.2 percent, and for Asian students 1.1 percent.