EDUCATION UNDER ARREST: - Justice Policy Institute

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26 JUSTICE POLICY INSTITUTEto intervene in cases of bullying and harassment,and to prevent and intervene in cases wherethere might be substance abuse issues or thepotential for violence. 101 Fully implementedguidance counselor programs have also beenfound to promote feelings of safety in bothpoorer and wealthier schools. 102Identify students with disabilities or mentalhealth problems early and provide adequateand appropriate education: Schools may be thefirst place that the manifestation of a disability ormental illness is visible. Schools should invest inpsychologists and nurses to help screen 103children as early as possible to avoid potentialdiscipline problems later on. In addition,students can be connected with appropriateeducation, as mandated by the Individuals withDisabilities Education Act. 104Design schools for safety: The AmericanFederation of Teachers suggests changes tobuilding design can improve education andsafety. 105 In addition, the Consortium of ChicagoSchool Research also found that students don’tfeel safe in areas where there are no adults. 106Invest in evidence-based initiativesin schoolsThere are a wide array of programs andinitiatives that are in place in schools, albeitcoupled with zero tolerance policies and SROsthat inherently promote safe schools. Schooldistricts should work toward abandoning zero“Are the (school resource officers) infact replacing the school officials asdisciplinarians? Because if that’s thecase, that’s the wrong thing to bedoing.”- Chief District Judge Dennis Maes of the 10thJudicial District, Coloradowww.chieftain.com/news/local/discipline-belongs-with-schools-pueblo-judge-says/article_c2f7fda8-ddd4-11e0-9ee4-001cc4c002e0.htmltolerance and law enforcement responses tostudent behavior and begin relying solely onprograms like those evaluated programs below.For a longer list of alternative programs andinitiatives that include peer mediation,mentoring, and peaceable education, go towww.stopschoolstojails.org/content/alternativesolutions.Positive-Behavioral Intervention and Supports(PBIS): PBIS is a school-wide initiative that isimplemented at three levels. The first ispreventative and all students are involved inefforts to teach social skills and integratebehavior management into every-day teaching.The second level focuses on students who maybe struggling academically and are, therefore, atrisk of becoming engaged in disruptive behavior.This level can include conflict resolution training,additional academic instruction, and selfmanagementskills-building. The third level isintense and individualized for students who arealready having difficulty following school rules.This level can include a behavior support planand specially trained behaviorists and teachers.Rather than punish students exhibiting negativebehaviors, the third level is designed to preventdisruptive behavior and promote positivebehavior. 107A meta-analysis of several evaluations of PBIS inschools have shown that there was an increase inpositive behavior, fewer referrals to the office,fewer teacher assaults, and improvements inacademic achievement among other outcomes. 108Social and Emotional Learning (SEL): TheCollaborative for Academic, Social, andEmotional Learning says that SEL is a process bywhich children (and adults) learn to “developthe fundamental skills for life effectiveness.” SELincludes five principles that students learn: selfawareness,self-management, social awareness,relationship skills, and responsible decisionmaking. SEL principles are included in all
EDUCATION UNDER ARREST 27aspects of the curriculum. 109For example, in an articleabout the Cossitt School inIllinois, the Chicago Tribunedescribes a science lesson asnot only talking aboutmolecules from a scientificperspective, but also aspartnerships. 110 In 2004,Illinois became the first stateto require that SEL be partof the curriculum and dailyteaching and is now anational model.Numerous evaluations haveshown the effectiveness ofSEL in schools not only inthe improvement ofbehavior in school, but also in academicperformance. One meta-analysis supported bythe William T. Grant Foundation reviewed 213school-based SEL programs involving 270,034kindergarten through high school students andfound improved social and emotional skills,attitudes, behavior, and academicperformance. 111SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL LEARNING IN ILLINOISIn 2004, Illinois became the first state to require that social andemotional learning be part of the curriculum and daily instruction,which means that alongside science and math, students are expectedto reach benchmarks associated with building empathy, managingconflict, and recognizing one’s own emotions.Research has shown that social and emotional learning not only helpsimprove student behavior, it also improves achievement. According toa Chicago Tribune article, one principal from an Illinois school, JackHille Middle School, “acknowledged some skepticism when her schoolimplemented social and emotional learning four years ago. Since then,‘everything has improved…our test scores, the climate of the building,our parent communication,’ she said, ‘There’s been a huge shift ofwhere we were and where we are now.’”Source Bonnie Miller Rubin, “Beyond book learning: Schools teach social andemotional skills,” Chicago Tribune, October 5, 2010.http://articles.chicagotribune.com/2010-10-05/news/ct-met-1005-teens-socialskills-20101004_1_social-and-emotional-learning-students-school-dayenvironment. In addition, there is a wide arrayof research that suggests that mentoring, peerconflict resolution, and other student-centeredbehavior responses could work instead ofpunitive zero tolerance policies. 113 Otherschools have implemented a school-based crisisintervention strategy in which SROs are servingas the first line of defense for students whomight harm themselves or others. 114Behavioral Monitoring and ReinforcementProgram (BMRP): A two-year school-basedprogram for middle school, high risk studentsfor the purpose of helping youth from cominginto contact with the justice system, engaging indrug use, or dropping out of school. BMRPfocuses on rewarding good behavior andworking to empower youth. Evaluationssummarized by the Advancement Project showthat participants displayed improved behavior,better grades and attendance, and less reporteddrug use. 112As mentioned previously, evidence suggeststhat well-trained teachers and guidancecounselors not only help students be successfulin school, but also promote a safe schoolPeaceable schools and conflict resolution:Peaceable schools use conflict resolution as theguiding principle of the entire school and theidea that a non-violent, peaceful society is areachable goal. Schools treat all conflicts, eventhose that are labeled as disorderly ormisbehavior, as a learning opportunity. Conflictresolution includes identifying problems,learning to community effectively with others,and developing one’s one emotionalunderstanding. Peaceable schools have beengenerally been found to reduce conflict, increasepositive behavior, and promote learning. 115 Onenational example is Peaceable SchoolsTennessee, which has been in operation since1996. During the initial implementation,Tennessee schools that participated in the
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