Promoting statewide discipline reform through professional development with administrators

Abstract

Researchers and policymakers have written extensively about the lack of evidence for the use of suspension and expulsion in schools and the disproportionate impact among racial and ethnic minorities and children in special education. As a result, states across the country have passed legislation to reform school discipline practices, with varying provisions for providing professional development within the reforms. The current study provides findings from a content analysis of activities completed as part of a day-long interdisciplinary professional development implemented within one state in the throes of sweeping discipline reform legislation. Lessons learned and future directions for professional development in school discipline reform are offered.

Keywords:

• Content analysis
• discipline equity
• evaluation
• professional development
• school discipline reform

Notes

1 The offense “failure to serve” typically refers to a student’s failure to serve a detention. Detentions may be given as consequences for low-level misconduct such as tardies, use of a cell phone, or not bringing a student identification card. When students fail to serve one or more detentions, some districts and schools impose additional consequences such as in-school suspension.

Additional information

Funding

W.K. Kellogg Foundation.

Notes on contributors

Kelsie N. Reed

Kelsie N. Reed, MEd, is a school psychology doctoral candidate at Loyola University Chicago. Her current research interests are school discipline reform, racial disproportionality in school discipline, and culturally responsive practices to promote educational equity.

Pamela Fenning, PhD/ABPP, is a professor of school psychology at Loyola University Chicago and co-directs the school psychology program. She is a licensed clinical and school psychologist in Illinois. Her current research interests are alternatives to suspension and racial and disability equity in school discipline.

Miranda Johnson

Miranda Johnson, JD/MPA, is a clinical professor of law and director of the Education Law and Policy Institute at Loyola University Chicago School of Law. Her current research interests focus on law and policy reform to reduce the use of exclusionary and punitive school discipline practices and replace them with proactive and positive supports.

Ashley Mayworm

Ashley Mayworm, PhD, is an assistant professor of school psychology at Loyola University Chicago. Her current research interests focus on understanding how schools can best support students at-risk for mental and behavioral health difficulties, including the role of school discipline, climate, and multi-tiered systems of support.