School Leaders’ Perspectives Implementing Whole School Restorative Practices Across Grade Levels: A Case Study of a School-Based Pilot Project

Abstract

Whole school restorative practice (WSRP) calls for creating supportive, equitable schools, requiring broad systems change. This case study explores the journeys of three schools piloting WSRP in one Midwestern district and examines how school leaders designed and implemented within their school contexts. Schools were purposefully selected from within a three-year pilot project; data sources included annual interviews and focus groups with school leaders, and annual school reports. Each school developed a leadership team comprised of administrators and other staff who were knowledgeable of and committed to restorative justice principles. While grounded in common restorative principles, language, and approaches as part of their district’s pilot project, school WSRP leaders simultaneously developed contextually-specific practices, including tailoring to learners’ developmental stages. Overall, this study highlights the influential role of school leaders in navigating complexities that arise when working from a worldview that values human relationality and interconnection.

Impact Statement

In this case study, school leaders’ design and implementation of whole-school restorative practices (WSRP) reflected school-level contexts, including students’ developmental stages, in alignment with restorative principles and values. Overall, this study highlights the influential role of school leaders in navigating whole-school change toward a worldview that values human relationality and interconnection. This study may inform how school psychologists, who often play a critical role in leading systems change initiatives in schools, can leverage their skills, knowledge, and experiences as part of WSRP leadership and implementation efforts.

Keywords:

• intervention
• school-wide
• social–emotional
• social justice

Associate Editor:

• Cixin Wang

Additional information

Funding

This project was supported by an Education Innovation and Research early-phase grant from the U.S. Department of Education, grant no. U411C180164 (PI: Kimani). Shramko was supported by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) under National Research Service Award (NRSA) in Primary Medical Care, grant no. T32HP22239 (PI: Borowsky). The contents are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by USDOE, HRSA, HHS, or the U.S. Government. For more information, please visit HRSA.gov or oese.ed.gov.

Notes on contributors

Maura Shramko

Maura Shramko is a Researcher at American Institutes for Research. Previously, she was a Researcher at the University of Minnesota.

Kara J. Beckman

Kara Beckman is a Researcher in the Division of General Pediatrics and Adolescent Health, Department of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota.

Abigail Gadea

Abigail Gadea, MSW, MPP, LISW, is the Deputy Director of Human Resources at the City of Saint Paul. Previously, she worked at the Healthy Youth Development-Prevention Research Center (HYD-PRC) at the University of Minnesota. Gadea has Advanced Equity and Diversity Leadership Training and direct experience working with historically under-represented and underserved communities in Minnesota since 2008.

Emily Goodhue

Emily Goodhue is a social worker who focuses on anti-racism education and has a background in Sociology.

Miles Davison

Miles Davison, PhD, is a Research Scientist at NWEA. His work examines racial disparities in school disciplinary practices and considers how those disparities are impacted by interventions.

Becky McCammon

Becky McCammon is the author of “Restorative Practices at School: An Educator’s Guided Workbook to Nurture Professional Wellness, Support Student Growth, and Build Engaged Classroom Communities”, a work inspired by her role as the Restorative Practices Program Coordinator for St. Paul Public Schools and the St. Paul Federation of Educators from 2016-2021. Her work continues to support schools and districts, and community organizations in their restorative journeys.

Barbara J. McMorris

Barbara J. McMorris is an Associate Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Minnesota. A sociologist by training, her research agenda focuses on the prevention of risky adolescent health behaviors.