(Published December, 2014)

School discipline has been a subject of national attention both inside and outside the field of education for years. Efforts to improve how schools and communities work together to address student discipline have shown the potential for creative and effective solutions that provide better outcomes for all—students, families, educators, and communities. Recently the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education formed a unique partnership to issue joint guidance to schools on student disciplinary policies and practices that consider the many effects of behavior both inside a school and in the larger community. In this brief, the recent historical context of school discipline policies is discussed; some exemplar policies are highlighted, and policy actions that align with the SWIFT Framework are recommended.

Read the brief at: http://www.swiftschools.org/Common/Cms/Documents/SWIFT%20Issue%20Brief%206.pdf