Disparities in the use of discipline by race, gender, and sexual orientation have been well documented and continue to place large numbers of students at risk for short- and long-term negative consequences. The following briefing paper series came out of the Discipline Disparities Research to Practice Collaborative, a group of 26 nationally known researchers, educators, advocates, and policy analysts, who came together to address the problem or discipline disparities.
School Discipline (Disparities, Alternatives, Behavior Management)
The Discipline Disparities Research to Practice Collaborative
Disparities in the use of school discipline by race, gender, and sexual orientation have been well-documented and continue to place large numbers of students at risk for short- and long-term negative outcomes. In order to improve the state of our knowledge and encourage effective interventions, the Discipline Disparities Research to Practice Collaborative, a group of 26 nationally known researchers, educators, advocates, and policy analysts, came together to address the problem of disciplinary disparities. Funded by Atlantic Philanthropies and Open Society Foundations, the Collaborative spent nearly three years conducting a series of meetings with groups of stakeholders—advocates, educators, juvenile justice representatives, intervention agents, researchers, and policymakers—in order to increase the availability of interventions that are both practical and evidence-based, and to develop and support a policy agenda for reform to improve equity in school discipline. The project has funded 11 new research projects to expand the knowledge base, particularly in the area of intervention, and commissioned papers from noted researchers presented at the Closing the School Discipline Gap Conference. A culminating report of the Collaborative’s work is the formal release of the Discipline Disparities Briefing Paper Series, three papers on policy, practice, new research summarizing the state of our knowledge and offering practical, evidence-based recommendations for reducing disparities in discipline in our nation’s schools, and two additional papers on Acknowledging Race, and Documenting Disparities for LGBTQ students.
Webinars
- Addressing Discipline Webinar (Spring 2019)
- Brief Intervention to Encourage Empathic Discipline Halves Suspension Rates Among Adolescents, presented by Jason Okonofua
- Supportive School Discipline Webinar Series
- Expanding the Circle: Restorative Practices in Special Education
Resources
- Discipline Policies, Successful Schools, and Racial Justice
- Center for Civil Rights Remedies
- Check and Connect
- Fix School Discipline
- I Can Problem Solve (ICPS)
- International Institute for Restorative Practices
- National Association of School Psychologists Resource Directory
- Office of Safe and Healthy Students
- Restorative Justice
Bibliography
- Arredondo, M., Gray, C., Russell, S., Skiba, R., Snapp, S. (2016). Documenting disparities for LGBT students: Expanding the Collection and Reporting of Data on Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at Indiana University.
- Carter, P., Fine, M., & Russell, S. (2014). Discipline Disparities Series: Overview. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at Indiana University. (Spanish version available)
- Dupper, D.,Theriot, M.T., & Craun, S.W. (2009). Reducing Out-of-School Suspensions: Practice Guidelines for School Social Workers. Children & Schools, 31(1), 6-14.
- Gregory, A., Bell, J., & Pollock, M. (2014). How Educators Can Eradicate Disparities in School Discipline: A Briefing Paper on School-Based Interventions. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at Indiana University. (Spanish version available)
- Losen, D., Hewitt, D., & Toldson, I. (2014). Eliminating Excessive and Unfair Exclusionary Discipline in Schools: Policy Recommendations for Reducing Disparities. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at Indiana University. (Spanish version available)
- Owen, J., Wettach, J. & Hoffman, K. C. (2015). Instead of Suspension: Alternative Strategies for Effective School Discipline. Durham, N.C.: Duke Center for Child and Family Policy and Duke Law School. Available at: https://www.ednc.org/instead-of-suspension-alternative-strategies-for-effective-school-discipline/
- Restorative Practices Working Group. (2014) Restorative Practices: Fostering Healthy Relationships and Promoting Positive Discipline in Schools. New York City, NY: The Atlantic Philanthropies. Available at: http://schottfoundation.org/sites/default/files/restorative-practices-guide.pdf
- S. Department of Education. Guiding Principles: A Resource Guide for Improving School Climate and Discipline. (2014). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Department of Education. Available at: https://www2.ed.gov/policy/gen/guid/school-discipline/guiding-principles.pdf
- Skiba, R. J., Arredondo, M. I., & Pollock, M. (2014). You Can’t Fix What You Don’t Look At: Acknowledging Race in Addressing Racial Discipline Disparities. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at Indiana University.
- Skiba, R. J., Arredondo, M. I., & Rausch, M. K. (2014). New and developing research on disparities in discipline. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at Indiana University. (Spanish version available)
- Skiba, R. & Sprague, J. (2008). "Safety without Suspensions." Educational Leadership, 66: 1, 38-43.
- Skiba, R. & Williams, N. (2014). Are Black Kids Worse? Myths and Facts about Racial Differences in Behavior. Bloomington, IN: The Equity Project at Indiana University.