EDUCATION UNDER ARREST: - Justice Policy Institute

EDUCATION UNDER ARREST 25endeavors to maintain order, which cancontribute to a reliance on SROs or otherpunitive responses to student behaviors. 98 Inaddition to training, schools should have theresources for supporting school staff, whichcould include the evidence based-practices listedbelow.Excellent Education reported in 2006 that a 5percent increase in male high school graduationrates would produce an annual savings of almost$5 billion in crime-related expenses. Coupledwith annual earnings of those who graduated,the U.S. would receive $7.7 billion in benefits. 94Just as positive social investments rather thanincarceration is a way to make communitieshealthy and safe, investments in education andimproving achievement also make schools safe. 95Some effective strategies include:Build quality relationships: Recent researchfrom the Consortium of Chicago School Researchsays that the quality of relationships betweenstudents and staff, as well as between staff andparents is one of the most importantcharacteristics in schools that are seen as safe inChicago. 99 Establishing good relationships canbe difficult if there are not enough teachers orother staff to effectively engage with students orparents. In addition, schools can facilitate theserelationships by creating structuredopportunities that meet families where they are– providing evening or weekend hours forconferences and meetings and translators forparents who are not native English speakers.Reduce class sizes: In a review of class sizereduction initiatives across the country, theCouncil of the Great City Schools found thatcities that used federal funds to reduce class sizewere able to spend more time on instruction anddeveloping relationships with students, ratherthan discipline and behavior management.Student achievement also improved. 96Provide support and trainingto staff regarding behaviormanagement: While effectiveclassroom management is partof a teacher’s job, resources tohelp them be successful in thisfunction are not alwaysavailable. 97 The AmericanFederation of Teachers (AFT)writes that sometimes teachersand other school staff don’talways feel supported in theirHire more counselors: Guidance counselors andschool psychologists are trained to be mentorsand work with youth, and are a more positiveinvestment in schools than SROs; nationally,however, schools are not fully staffing accordingto accepted standards. 100 The American SchoolCounselor Association says that schoolcounselors should consider their roles to includeskills in conflict-resolution particular to schools,A DAY AT AN URBAN SCHOOLDoug is in the 10 th grade at a District of Columbia High School.Every day, Doug walks in the front door of the school past threesecurity guards. He empties his pockets, passes through a metaldetector, and scans his ID to show what time he arrives and toensure that he is allowed to be in the building. He puts his thingsaway and heads to class.Doug feels safe at school, but it isn’t because there are securityguards there, but rather because there are always adults in the hall,teachers, counselors, administrators, as well as security guards.Doug says, “I don’t think too much about the security guardsbecause I’d still feel safe even if they weren’t there.”