September 21, 2021

Lessons from Oakland’s move to police-free schools

The story of Oakland’s efforts to eliminate school policing highlights four important lessons about what it truly takes to stop the criminalization of young people and their families. 

Jasmine Williams

September 14, 2021

ACLU sues Bay Area school district over ‘separate, unequal and illegal’ special education program

Lawsuit: Black students and English learners in Pittsburg Unified are disproportionately shunted into special education and subject to harsh discipline.

Carolyn Jones

December 23, 2020

New California absenteeism data shows big discrepancies between white, Black students

Black students far more likely to face disciplinary measures for missing school, statewide data shows.

Carolyn Jones And Daniel J. Willis

November 17, 2020

How school discipline — and student misbehavior — has changed during the pandemic

Suspending students when they're not attending class in person can be a complicated process.

Carolyn Jones

July 24, 2020

School police give way to more counselors in California districts as demands grow for reform

Demands for police reforms include increasing mental health services which are seen as key to helping young people, especially Black students, succeed studies say.

Carolyn Jones

June 30, 2020

Benefits, harm of school police the focus of state task force hearing

As districts disband or reform their police units, policymakers consider how to improve campus safety statewide.

Carolyn Jones

June 25, 2020

Oakland school board unanimously agrees to eliminate its police force

Board agreed to disband entire internal police department by end of the year and form a committee to come up with an alternative safety plan.

Theresa Harrington

June 11, 2020

Two Bay Area school boards support eliminating police on campus

Oakland Unified leaders signal support for eliminating district police, West Contra Costa Unified terminates contracts with city police.

Theresa Harrington And Ali Tadayon

June 5, 2020

California schools chief launches campaign against racial bias

The superintendent of public instruction announced he is launching a training initiative to help end systematic racism in schools.

Diana Lambert

January 13, 2020

Years of reform efforts contribute to declining African-American suspension rates in California

New data suggests restorative justice programs are effective at improving school climate.

Carolyn Jones

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.

Carolyn Jones

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.

Carolyn Jones

October 28, 2019

The value of social and emotional learning; Q&A with Tim Shriver

The longtime leader in the field says social and emotional practices help reach disconnected students and give purpose to learning.

John Fensterwald

September 9, 2019

California to extend ban on pushing students out of school for disruptive behavior

Gov. Newsom signed legislation that will ban out-of-school suspensions for disruptive behavior and willful defiance after next July.

Louis Freedberg

September 9, 2019

Gov. Newsom must decide whether to expand ban on student suspensions for 'willful defiance'

Suspensions for willful defiance have declined sharply in recent years, but Sen. Nancy Skinner says more state action is needed.

Louis Freedberg