Restorative Practices

October 18, 2022

Restorative practices create belonging and trust for teachers as well as students

A punitive approach to students' missteps does nothing to show them that adults care about them.

Louise Williamson

August 17, 2021

Inside one Bay Area school district's first day of school

Teachers from West Contra Costa Unified will be reaching out to families one-on-one to address anxieties and ask about hopes for the next year.

Ali Tadayon

February 12, 2019

Acclaimed restorative justice program on the chopping block in Oakland Unified

Students and advocates are loudly protesting a plan to significantly cut staff from the popular initiative, which emphasizes alternatives to punitive discipline approaches like suspension and expulsion.

David Washburn

January 4, 2019

Restorative justice reduces suspensions in elementary grades but not middle school, study shows

Many educators say restorative justice has transformed school climates. Others say it is over-hyped. A new study by the RAND Corp. lends support to both sides.

David Washburn

May 14, 2018

A South LA high school's journey back from the brink

Augustus F. Hawkins High, which is situated at the crossroads of multiple gang territories, almost died at its birth. A commitment to restorative justice helped save it.

David Washburn

May 13, 2018

The rise of restorative justice in California schools brings promise, controversy

Many tout the practice as a groundbreaking alternative to zero-tolerance policies and a way to alleviate discipline disparities, while some say it's being oversold as a quick fix.

David Washburn And Daniel J. Willis

January 31, 2018

System of positive rewards to reduce student discipline takes off in California

An estimated 1 in 4 schools in the state are implementing the approach.

Lee Romney

July 24, 2017

Settlement in Kern discrimination lawsuit calls for new school discipline policies

The Kern High School District in the Central Valley admitted no wrongdoing but agreed to settle because changes in school discipline reflect current policies.

Jane Meredith Adams

July 16, 2015

Oakland schools receive $8 million for early ed, trauma care

Jane Meredith Adams

March 10, 2015

Restorative practices quickly cut suspensions in middle school

Standard School District Superintendent Paul Meyers writes how adopting a restorative justice approach reduced suspensions in a problematic middle school by more than 50%.

Paul Meyers

November 30, 2014

Positive discipline gets boost in district plans

With a big push from the state’s new approach to education spending, many California school districts appear to be ramping up investments in positive approaches to discipline.

Jane Meredith Adams

December 15, 2013

San Francisco considers eliminating 'willful defiance' as reason for suspensions

Susan Frey