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Student Wellbeing
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Discipline

California districts are looking closely at their zero-tolerance discipline policies. Changes include raising awareness of the impact of trauma on students and implementing restorative justice principles, which require misbehaving students to make amends to those they have harmed. Disproportionate numbers of African-American and, to a lesser extent, Latino youth are suspended or disciplined.

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
August 24, 2019

On reforming suspensions: a teacher’s plea to California’s lawmakers

Teachers need more support to help struggling students rather than bans that reduce their ability to manage their classrooms.

Jason Sanchez
August 13, 2019

We must disrupt the school-to-prison pipeline

Students who are suspended from school are less likely to graduate from high school and more likely to be arrested and incarcerated.

Nancy Skinner
July 8, 2019

End to random searches of students is a victory for entire school community

District policy of random searches disrupted instruction and made students feel less safe, principal says.

Mauro Bautista
July 1, 2019

Budget realities challenging California school districts’ restorative justice programs

As districts have worked to reduce suspensions and expulsions, they’ve increasingly turned to restorative justice as an alternative.

David Washburn
June 11, 2019

Rural California school district with high suspension rates under state investigation

Butte County’s Oroville City Elementary School District, which has a suspension rate that is three times the statewide average, is being investigated by the state Bureau of Children's Justice.

David Washburn