Suspension Rates Talking Points Revised 11/21/2014

Background Information:

2010-2011 data provided by MDE revealed high numbers of suspensions in Robbinsdale

Area Schools compared to neighboring districts. Data has also revealed stark
disproportionalities among groups of students that are being suspended.
Groups began meeting to discuss discipline practices in the district and in 2012-13 changes
were made to the policy handbook to align consequences to those of neighboring districts.
In 2013, the district formed an Alternatives to Suspensions Committee to study ways
suspensions are used and recommend changes to our current practices.
In 2014, the district made a commitment to work towards eliminating suspensions for any
non-dangerous behavior.
At the beginning of the 2014 school year, the district created at PBIS Coordinator position to
evaluate practices, provide support for school administration and PBIS coaches, and make
recommendations for improvement.

Talking Points:

Our goal as a district is to first and foremost maintain a productive and safe learning
environment. We are committed to providing appropriate discipline and will suspend when
necessary. We believe we can accomplish our goals by spending more time teaching the
behavior we want to see versus creating an environment of zero tolerance.

Suspensions throughout the country, and even in our district, have been overused and the
data shows disturbing disproportionality among student groups.

Our Alternatives to Suspensions Committee is researching current best practices and

studying data on current intervention strategies. We are continuing to grow and modify our
practices. This growth is not at the expense of safe schools.

We are deepening our integration of PBIS and RtI, which are two proven strategies that
improve behavior and achievement in schools.

Each secondary school has prescriptive interventions and alternative to suspension plans to
provide students with an alternative setting (such as Back on Track Room or Robin Room),
academic intervention, and social-emotional counseling.

We are continuously monitoring the data and listening to the stakeholders. We are
committed to reducing the number of suspensions and removing disproportionality.

Ultimately, our goal is to increase student achievement. Students need to be in school so

they can learn. We need to continue to enhance our strategies to engage students in
learning and improve student attitudes about school. We believe reducing overall
suspensions and removing disproportionality is the right thing to do for students and will
increase student achievement.