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Jason Sinocruz Advancement Project

Learn about the Advancement Project's work to end the school-to-prison pipeline through grassroots activism and national attention on school discipline reform. Discover the origins of zero tolerance policies and how they impact students. Find out what you can do to make a difference.

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Jason Sinocruz Advancement Project

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  1. From Rigid To Responsive:Better Approaches to School DisciplineCOSEBOC Webinar SeriesDecember 5, 2012 Jason Sinocruz Advancement Project

  2. Agenda What is Advancement Project? Background Information on Zero Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline Advancement Project’s Local Work National Attention on School Discipline Reform What Can You Do?

  3. What is Advancement Project? • Racial justice civil rights organization based in Washington, D.C. • Ending the Schoolhouse to Jailhouse Track Project • Work with grassroots groups to end the school-to-prison pipeline in their communities. • Aim to change the national conversation on STPP. • Provide resources and best practices on school discipline. • Active in more than a dozen sites, including (but not limited to) New York, Pennsylvania, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, and Colorado.

  4. Agenda What is Advancement Project? Background Information on Zero Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline Advancement Project’s Local Work National Attention on School Discipline Reform What Can You Do?

  5. Origins of “Zero Tolerance” 1980s: “Zero Tolerance” drug policies 1990s: Columbine tragedy – “zero tolerance”

  6. Re-Characterization of Student Behavior Pushing & shoving “Battery” “Theft” or “robbery” Swiping headphones Talking back “Disorderly conduct”

  7. Billion$ of Wa$ted Dollar$

  8. DEFINITION: The policies and practices that are directly and indirectly pushing students out of school and on a pathway to prison.

  9. Who are we arresting?

  10. Agenda What is Advancement Project? Background Information on Zero Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline Advancement Project’s Local Work National Attention on School Discipline Reform What Can You Do?

  11. A Movement Emerges… In response, there is now a national movement around the elimination of these harsh policies and practices. • Parent and student resistance • District reform • State legislative reform • Federal attention

  12. Chicago Partner: Voices of Youth in Chicago Education (VOYCE) • In the last year: • Brought attention to overly punitive disciplinary fines imposed by prominent charter network. • Edited discipline code with following key provisions: • Reduced number of days students could be suspended for certain minor acts. • Eliminated automatic 10 day suspension for worst offenses.

  13. Philadelphia Partner: Youth United for Change (YUC) • In the last few years: • Published report on zero tolerance problem within local schools. • Revised discipline code with following provisions: • No more out-of-school suspensions for unreasonable behaviors (e.g. dress code violations). • Added protections for gender expression.

  14. Denver Partner: Padres y JovenesUnidos • In the past five years: • Rewrote the discipline code. • Implemented restorative justice program. • Passed statewide law on “Smarter School Discipline.” • In the process of: • Rewriting the memorandum of understanding between police and district. • Aligning the new discipline code with new state law.

  15. Denver Public Schools 2007-08 School Year 10,161 Out-of-School Suspensions DOWN 40% 2011-12 School Year 6,076 Out-of-School Suspensions

  16. Baltimore Public Schools Suspensions DOWN 63% New Discipline Code

  17. State of Florida Referrals DOWN 12,000 Between 2004-05 and 2010-11

  18. Agenda What is Advancement Project? Background Information on Zero Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline Advancement Project’s Local Work National Attention on School Discipline Reform What Can You Do?

  19. National Attention on School Discipline Reform in 2012 • Advancement Project Regional Action Camps • School-Justice Partnership Summit • Department of Justice lawsuit in Meridian, Mississippi • Dignity in Schools Campaign – call for moratorium on out-of-school suspensions • Ed Week series on school discipline • Senate Subcommittee Hearing on School-to-Prison Pipeline by Senator Durbin (D-IL)

  20. Agenda What is Advancement Project? Background Information on Zero Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline Advancement Project’s Local Work National Attention on School Discipline Reform What Can You Do?

  21. What Can You Do? • Learn more about the School-to-Prison pipeline. Visit the Digital Library at http://www.advancementproject.org

  22. What Can You Do? • Look to the Advancement Project Action Kit for models of good discipline policy and examples of how to collect good data. See http://www.stopschoolstojails.org for more information

  23. What Can You Do? • Collect and report disaggregated and thorough school discipline data. • Use the data to track successes, areas for improvement, and develop alternative practices. U.S. Department of Education Civil Rights Data Collection: Visit http://ocrdata.ed.gov/ to look up information on your area

  24. What Can You Do? • Create or revise the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between your schools and local law enforcement agencies.

  25. What Can You Do? • Seek changes to applicable local, county, and state laws and policies • Reduce/end overuse of suspensions, expulsions, and arrests in schools

  26. 25 Classroom & In-School Alternatives to Suspensions, Expulsions, and Arrests Reminder and/or re-direction Re-teaching of expectations and skills Student/teacher conference Loss of privileges Role-play Written apology Mini-course/training on topics such as conflict resolution, anger management, social skills, or appropriate behavior Time-out/chill-out period Reflective essay or other reflective activity Independent study Parental outreach Student/teacher/parent conference Detention Referral to after-school program • Saturday School • Restorative practices, such as peace circles • Referral to support staff, such as guidance counselor, social worker, or nurse • Self-charting of behaviors • Daily report card on behavior, task completion, and achievement • Referral to an in-school suspension center or support center • Restitution • Community service • Mentoring • Modified/adjusted schedule, including changes to the student’s overall schedule or course content • Referral to community-based services

  27. What Can You Do? • Leverage budgetary authority • Divert funding used for law enforcement personnel and security infrastructure to: • Prevention and intervention measures such as restorative justice. • Social workers, school psychologists, and guidance counselors.

  28. What Can You Do? • Listen to and prioritize input from community members, parents, and especially youth. • Create regular and productive opportunities for administrators, parents, and students to engage in meaningful dialogue about school discipline.

  29. Agenda What is Advancement Project? Background Information on Zero Tolerance and the School-to-Prison Pipeline Advancement Project’s Local Work National Attention on School Discipline Reform What Can You Do?

  30. For More Information . . . • Go to: • www.advancementproject.org • www.stopschoolstojails.org • Contact info: • Jason Sinocruz, Staff Attorney jsinocruz@advancementproject.org

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