DPS New Approach To Discipline

I have always wondered how you can make sense of allowing kids to stay out of school (suspensions) instead of holding them accountable for their behavior.

Denver Public Schools hands down more out-of-school suspensions than any other Colorado district, which administrators believe may be leading more students to drop out.

A new discipline policy being discussed in public meetings and with the Board of Education focuses on "restorative justice," which aims to correct behavior through positive means instead of big-stick punishments like expulsion and suspension.

New discipline techniques would include behavior intervention plans, "peace circles" or anger-management courses. Out-of-school suspensions, expulsions and police involvement would still occur for the most serious misconduct, the proposal says.

"The goal here is to keep students learning versus them being outside of school, which in turn should help us with the dropout rate," said Alex Sanchez, DPS spokesman.

DPS in 2004-05 recorded 13,500 suspensions, which led the state with a ratio of 18.7 for every 100 students, according to the Colorado Department of Education.

Statewide, districts are taking new approaches to discipline - leaving behind the traditional punishment of suspension and expulsion for most kids, said Ed Steinberg, assistant commissioner for the Department of Education.

About 40 districts now use an approach called Positive Behavior Support, which encourages good behavior in students, he said. Districts also are using data to track when and why bad behavior occurs and using the numbers to pinpoint problems and make changes, he said.

"These positive behavior approaches ... we're going to catch you doing good things and reward that ... the data really shows the suspension numbers really go down," he said.

A 2005 report by the Denver- based advocacy group Padres Unidos said DPS disciplined too many students for nonviolent offenses and disproportionately targeted minorities.

The Denver Post