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philliberresearch.com
CaseStudy:
SchoolDisciplineReforminNewYorkCity:
HowItIsHappening
AReportfromtheSchoolDisciplineReform
PortfolioofTheAtlanticPhilanthropies
September2015
TABLEOFCONTENTS
INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................................................... 1 THE HISTORY OF SCHOOL DISCIPLINE REFORM IN NEW YORK CITY ....................................................... 2 THE STRATEGIES ................................................................................................................................... 4 STRATEGY 1: Building Strength through Collaboration ..................................................................... 4 STRATEGY 2: Creating Awareness about the Issue ........................................................................... 6 STRATEGY 3: Providing Positive Alternatives .................................................................................... 7 STRATEGY 4: Advocating for Change ............................................................................................... 9 STRATEGY 5: Resorting to Legal Action ............................................................................................ 9 STRATEGY 6: Connecting with National and Regional Partners ...................................................... 10 STRATEGY 7: Working for Political Change .................................................................................... 11 HOW IT’S HAPPENING ................................................................................................................................ 12 PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
INTRODUCTION
ThisisthestoryofhowschooldisciplineisbeingreformedinNewYorkCity,withthehelpofThe
AtlanticPhilanthropies,andthestrategiesusedtoinfluencethatchange.
TheChildren’sDefenseFundraisedtheissueofschooldisciplinereformasearlyas1974withthe
publicationofChildrenOutofSchoolinAmericafollowedthenextyearbySchoolSuspensions:Are
TheyHelpingChildren?Thosepublicationspointedoutthatamongtheschooldistrictsreportingto
theOfficeofCivilRightsin1973,overonemillionstudentsweresuspendedatleastonceduringthe
schoolyearforatotalof4.2percentofthestudentsenrolled.TherateamongAfricanAmerican
childrenwastwiceashighasamongchildrenwhowerewhite.1
However,theChildren’sDefenseFundcouldnotforeseethedramaticincreaseinschool
suspensionsthatwouldoccuroverthenextthirtyyears.Amongmiddleschoolstudents,therate
wouldalmostdoublebetween1973and2006,increasingto6.9percentofthestudentsenrolled.
Therateamongwhitestudentsincreased55%whiletherateamongAfricanAmericansincreased
150percent,leavingAfricanAmericansthreetimesaslikelytobesuspendedfromschool.2
Twomajorfactorscontributedtotherapidincreaseinschoolsuspensions.Thefirstwasthe
growingbeliefamongpolicymakersaswellasthegeneralpublicthatthenation’syouthwereoutof
controlespeciallywithrespecttodrugabuseandviolence.Theadoptionofzerotolerancepolicies
wasseenastheanswerandestablishedbyCongress,statelegislatures,andlocalschoolboards.
Zerotolerancepoliciesrequiredthatdefinedpunishmentsbeadministeredwheneverinfractionsof
rulesoccurred.Circumstances,explanations,andevencommonsensecouldnotbetakeninto
account.Thesepoliciesenjoyedthesupportofthegeneralpublic.Thesecondwasthe
criminalizationofschooldiscipline.Theenforcementofschooldisciplinewasmadethe
responsibilityofpoliceandcourtsinsteadofschoolofficials.Minoroffensessuchasbeinglateto
class,talkingbacktoteachers,disrespectingschoolofficialsbyfailingtoaddressthemassiror
ma’am,orshovinganotherstudentwereoftendefinedascriminal.3
Researchdemonstratedthatsuspensionsandexpulsionshadnegativeacademicandsocial
consequencesforstudents.Forexample,astudyofschooldisciplineinTexasfoundthatstudents
whoweresuspendedorexpelled,especiallythosewhowerepunishedmultipletimes,weremore
likelytobeheldbackagrade,dropoutofschool,andbecomeinvolvedwiththejuvenilejustice
system.4Balfanz,etal.foundthatFloridastudentswhoweresuspendedevenonceintheninth
gradewerelesslikelytograduatefromhighschoolorpursuepost‐secondaryeducationand
1
Children’s Defense Fund. 1975. School Suspensions: Are They Helping Children? Cambridge: Children’s Defense Fund. 2
Losen, D. and Skiba, R. 2010. Suspended Education: Urban Middle Schools in Crisis. Montgomery: Southern Poverty Law Center. 3
Fabelo, T., Thompson, M., Platkin, M., Carmichael, D., Marchbanks, M., and Booth, E. 2011. Breaking Schools’ Rules: A Statewide Study of How School Discipline Relates to Students’ Success and Juvenile Justice Involvement. New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center. 4
Ibid 1 PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
achievedlesspost‐secondaryeducation.5
Effortstoreformschooldisciplinestruggledforthirtyyears.In2001theAdvancementProject
beganorganizinglocalcommunity‐basedgrouptoadvocateforreform.TheDignityinSchools
Campaignwasorganizedin2006bylocalgrassrootsandadvocacygroupstoshareinformationand
buildacommonframeworktoreformschooldiscipline.TheOpenSocietyFoundationsfunded
schooldisciplinereformeffortsinMarylandandastudyofthemagnitudeandimpactofschool
disciplineinTexas.
In2010TheAtlanticPhilanthropiessteppedintothefraycreatingtheSchoolDisciplineReform
Initiative.TheAtlanticPhilanthropieshavealwaysbeendedicatedtocreatingopportunitiesand
lastingchangesforpeoplewhoareunfairlydisadvantagedorvulnerabletolife’scircumstances.
Schooldisciplinehadbecomeineffective,unjust,andunequallyappliedtopeopleofcolorand
vulnerablepopulations.AtlanticundertooktheInitiativetoaccomplishtwoobjectives:
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Toreducetheuseofsuspensions,expulsions,andarrestsasmethodsofschooldiscipline;
and
Toeliminatedisparitiesintheseschooldisciplinepracticesastheyrelatetorace,ethnicity,
gender,andpeoplewithspecialneeds.
Toaccomplishtheseobjectives,TheAtlanticPhilanthropiesadoptedasetofstrategieswhichthey
thenusedintargetedcitiestobringaboutschooldisciplinereform.Thosestrategiesincluded:
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Buildingstrengththroughcollaboration;
Creatingawarenessabouttheissue;
Providingpositivealternatives;
Advocatingforchange;
Resortingtolegalaction;
Workingforpoliticalchange;and
Connectingwithnationalandregionalpartners.
THEHISTORYOFSCHOOLDISCIPLINEREFORMINNEWYORK
CITY
NewYorkCity’srevisedDisciplineCodeandBillofStudentRightsandResponsibilities,K‐12went
intoeffectinApril,2015.6Theproposedrevisions:
5
Balfanz, R., Byrnes, V., and Fox, J. 2015. “Sent Home and Put Off Track: The Antecedents, Disproportionalities, and Consequences of Being Suspended in the 9th Grade,” Pp 17 – 30 in Closing the School Discipline Gap: Equitable Remedies for Excessive Exclusion. New York: Teachers College Press. 6
New York City Department of Education. 2015. Citywide Behavioral Expectations to Support Student Learning: Student Intervention and Discipline Code and Bill of Student Rights and Responsibilities, K‐12. New York City: NYC Department of Education, Office of Instructional Publications. PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
2
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requirethatstudentswhoreceiveaprincipal’ssuspensionreceivealternativeinstruction
withintheschoolbuilding;
requireprincipalstoobtainDepartmentofEducation(DOE)approvalforsuspensions
involvinginsubordinationordefyingauthority;
requireprincipalstoobtainDOEapprovalforsuspensionsofanystudentingradesK‐3;
eliminatesuperintendents’suspensionsforminorphysicalinfractionssuchasshovingor
pushing;
removethebanprohibitingthepossessionofcellphonesbystudents;and
requireNYPDtoreportanyincidentinwhichastudentishandcuffed.
Inaddition,therevisedcodeplacesanemphasisoncollaborativeproblemsolvingandrestorative
practices.
TheNewYorkCityDepartmentofEducationalsoannouncedthatitwillspendalmostfivemillion
dollarstoimproveschooldisciplinepractices:

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$1.2millionwillbededicatedforrestorativejusticeprogramsin100schools;
$2.3millionwillbespentforsupportsforcourt‐involvedstudents;and
$1.45millionwillgotowardreducing911referralsfordisruptivestudentsbyproperly
trainingstaff.7
InparttheseprogramsbuildonexistingpilotprogramsormandatedreformsnotinitiatedbyNew
YorkCity’sDepartmentofEducation.
Atthesametime,ChancellorCarmenFarinaannouncedtheconveningoftheLeadershipTeamon
SchoolClimateandDisciplinebyMayorBilldeBlasiotocoordinateandevaluatetheeffectiveness
ofthesereformsandmakerecommendationsforimprovement.Thisteamwascomposedof
principals,parents,studentsandunionrepresentativesaswellasrepresentativesfromtheDOE,
theNYPD,theMayor’sOfficeofCriminalJustice,theCityCouncil,andcommunitygroups.8Theirten
recommendationswereannouncedinJuly,2015,inSafetywithDignity.9
Thesereformsaredesignedtoreversealong‐standingpatternofincreasingsuspensionsand
expulsionsinNewYorkCityPublicSchools,especiallyamongAfricanAmericanmalesandstudents
withdisabilities.Theydidnotcomewithouteffort.
In1998,underMayorGiuliani,theNewYorkCityBoardofEducationtransferredresponsibilityfor
schoolsecuritytotheNewYorkCityPoliceDepartment.Between1998and2002thenumberof
policeinschoolsincreased27percentundertheGiulianiadministration.Thetrendcontinued
duringtheBloombergadministration,increasinganother52percentbetween2002and2009.By
7
http://schools.nyc.gov/Offices/mediarelations/NewsandSpeeches/2014‐2015. February 13, 2015. City Announces School Climate Reforms 8
Ibid 9
City of New York. 2015. Safety with Dignity: Policy Recommendations from the Mayor’s Leadership Team on School Climate and Discipline. New York: City of New York 3 PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
2010,NYPD’sSchoolSafetyDivisionnumberedover5,000andwasthefifthlargestpoliceforcein
thenation.10
Asthenumberofpoliceinschoolsincreased,sodidthenumberofsuspensionsandexpulsions.
Between1999and2009thenumberofsuspensionsdoubledandlongtermsuspensionsincreased
150percent.Inthe2009schoolyeartherewerealmost74,000suspensions,oftenforinfractions
suchastalkingbacktoteachersorusingprofanelanguage.11
SuspensionshavebeendisproportionatelybornebyAfricanAmericansandstudentswith
disabilities.In2009,AfricanAmericansreceivedoverhalfofallsuspensionsand58percentofthe
longtermsuspensionswhilemakinguplessthanathirdofthestudentbody.Oneinsixstudentsis
diagnosedwithspecialneeds,buttheyreceivedalmostoneinthreesuspensions.12
THESTRATEGIES
TheAtlanticPhilanthropiesusedasetofcoordinatedstrategiestoinfluenceschooldiscipline
reforminNewYorkCity.Thesamebasicstrategiesarebeingusedinothertargetedcitiesaswell,
soNewYorkCityisbutoneexampleoftheworkthatisbeingdone.
STRATEGY1:BuildingStrengththroughCollaboration
Thebuildingofcoalitionsbringstogetherorganizationsthatshareacommongoal.Someofthese
organizationsmayhavealonghistoryofactivitiesinthetargetedarea,whileothersarenew.Some
aretoosmalltomakemuchofanimpactalone.SomearegranteesofTheAtlanticPhilanthropies,
butothersarenot.However,togethertheiractionsarecoordinated.Theyshareknowledgeand
ideas,providesupporttooneanother,andhaveamuchlargervoice.
InNewYorkCity,fourmajorlocalcoalitionshavebeeninvolvedinschooldisciplinereform.

A+NYCwasanonpartisaneducationadvocacygroupof47organizing,policyand
educationalservicesorganizationswiththegoalofmakingeducationaprincipleissueinthe
2013mayoralelection13

DignityinSchoolsCampaign–NewYorkisacitywidecoalitionofstudents,parents,
advocates,educatorsandlawyers.Itsmembersinclude21organizationscallingforpositive,
school‐wideapproachestodiscipline.14
10
Ofer, U. 2012. “Criminalizing the Classroom: The Rise of Aggressive Policing and Zero Tolerance Discipline in New York City Public Schools.” New York Law School Review. 56. 1373 – 1411. 11
Ibid 12
Ibid 13
http://www.nycommunitytrust.org/DonorsEducationCollaborative. 14
http://dignityinschools.org. PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
4
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TheStudentSafetyCoalitionworkstoendtheNewYorkCityschool‐to‐prisonpipeline
anditsdisproportionateimpactonyouthofcolorandyouthwithspecialneeds.Madeupof
16NewYorkCityadvocacy,academicandcommunity‐basedorganizations,thecoalitionled
thefightforpassageoftheStudentSafetyAct.15
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TheNewYorkCitySchool‐JusticePartnershipTaskForcewasconvenedinJune2011by
JudgeJudithKaye,formerChiefJudgeoftheStateofNewYorkandChairoftheNewYork
StatePermanentJudicialCommissiononJusticeforChildren,alongwithAdvocatesfor
ChildrenofNewYorkwithfundingfromAtlanticPhilanthropies.TheTaskForceconsisted
of43governmentofficials,expertsandkeystakeholders,includingrepresentativesfrom13
communityorganizations.16
Atlantic,itself,ispartoftheDonorsEducationCollaborative,ajointeffortof13funderstosupport
constituencybuildingandadvocacyforeducationreformsinNYCpublicschools.Amongits
grantees,DECfundedA+NYCtodevelopandadvocateforaneducationpolicyplatformduringthe
2013mayoralelectionandtheDignityinSchoolsCampaign‐NewYorktoadvocateforreformsto
theNewYorkCitySchoolDisciplineCode.17
Somecollaborativesarebroadlybased,drawingmembersfromdifferentcities,althoughthe
membersworkforschooldisciplineinthecitieswheretheyarelocated.Fourofthose
collaborativeshavebeeninvolvedintheNewYorkCityschoolreformeffort.
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TheAllianceforEducationalJusticeunitesgrassrootsgroupstochangefederaleducation
policy.ItsmembersinNewYorkincludeMaketheRoadNewYork,DesisRisingUp&
MovingandSistas&BrothasUnited.Since2010,TheAtlanticPhilanthropieshave
supportedtheAlliance’sYouthJusticeCorpscapacitybuildingactivitiestoexpandyouth
participationineducationpolicyreform,includingfundsforyouthtoattendUSDOE’s
NationalYouthSummitinDC.18
TheNAACPLegalStrategiesCollaborativewascreatedbyTheAtlanticPhilanthropiesto
supportdataanalyses,litigation,policyadvocacy,directrepresentation,technical
assistance,coordinationanddonorengagementtopromotelocal,stateandnationalschool
disciplinepolicyreform.Ithasprovidedaplatformfororganizationstoshareideasand
learnfromoneanother.19
TheNationalEconomicandSocialRightsInitiativesupportsstudentandteacher
advocacyforchangesthatwilleliminateharshdisciplinarypoliciesandimplementpositive
approachestodisciplinethroughouttheschoolsystem.Inpartnershipwithcommunities,
NESRIworkstobuildabroadmovementforeconomicandsocialrights.TheDignityin
SchoolsCampaignisaNESRIinitiative.20
15
http://nyclu.org/schooltoprison/ssa. The Student Safety Act. http://nycourts.gov/ip/justiceforchildren 17
http://www.nycommunitytrust.org/DonorsEducationCollaborative. 18
http://otlcampaign.org/content/spotlight‐alliance‐educational‐justice. 19
http://atlanticphilanthropies.org/school‐discipline‐reform. Building a Movement to Keep Kits in School 20
http://nesri.org. 16
5 PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
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TheOpportunitytoLearn(OTL)Campaignunitesagrowingcoalitionofadvocatesand
organizersfromacrossthecountry,includingNewYorkCity.OTLadvocatesforasupports‐
basedreformagendathatincludeseffectiveschooldiscipline.21
STRATEGY2:CreatingAwarenessabouttheIssue
Thedemandforchangebeginswithawarenessthataproblemexists.InNewYorkCityanumberof
monographswereproduceddocumentingthemagnitudeoftheproblemandmaking
recommendationsforchange.Thereisacertainuniformityacrossthesemonographs:
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suspensions,expulsions,andarrestsaretoofrequent;
suspensions,expulsions,andarreststargetblackmalesandstudentswithdisabilities;
suspensions,expulsions,andarrestshavenegativeconsequencesforstudents;and
therearemoreeffectivealternativestostudentdiscipline.
Themonographsaremademoreeffectivebecauseofthisuniformity–thesamemessagefrom
differentsourcesisrepeatedoverandoveragain.
Amongthosemonographs:
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TheNewYorkCivilLibertiesUnionreleasedCriminalizingtheClassroom:TheOver‐
PolicingofNewYorkCitySchoolsinMarch,2007.22
TheNationalEconomicandSocialRightsInitiativeandTeachersUnitecollaboratedin
2008toproduceTeachersTalk:SchoolCulture,SafetyandHumanRights.23
UdiOfer,AdvocacyDirectorfortheNewYorkCivilLibertiesUnion,published
“CriminalizingtheClassroom:TheRiseofAggressivePolicing&ZeroToleranceDisciplinein
NewYorkCityPublicSchools”inNewYorkLawSchoolReviewin2012.24
TheSchool‐JusticePartnershipTaskForce,createdbyAdvocatesforChildrenofNew
YorkandtheNYCPermanentJudicialCommissiononJusticeforChildrenproducedKeeping
KidsinSchoolandOutofCourt:ReportandRecommendationsinMay,2013.25
AnallianceofDignityinSchoolsCampaign–NewYork,MaketheRoadNewYork,
NationalEconomic&SocialRightsInitiative,Sistas&BrothasUnited,&Teachers
UnitereleasedBuildingSafe,Supportive&RestorativeSchoolCommunitiesinNYCduring
Summer,2013.26
21
http://otlcampaign.org. New York Civil Liberties Union. 2007. Criminalizing the Classroom: The Over‐Policing of New York City Schools. New York: New York Civil Liberties Union 23
Sullivan, E. and Keeney, E. 2008. Teachers Talk: School Culture, Safety and Human Rights. New York: National Economic and Social Rights Initiative and Teachers Unite 24
Ofer, U. 2012. op. cit. 25
New York City School‐Justice Partnership Task Force. 2013. Keeping Kids in School and Out of Court: Report and Recommendations. Albany: New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children. 26
Dignity in Schools Campaign – New York, Make the Road New York, National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, Sistas and Brothas United, Teachers Unite. 2013. Building Safe, Supportive and Restorative School 22
PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
6
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InOctober,2013,theNewYorkCivilLibertiesUnionpublishedA,B,C,D,STPP:How
SchoolDisciplineFeedstheSchool‐to‐PrisonPipeline.27
InFebruary,2015,AdvocatesforChildrenNewYorkpublishedCivilRightsSuspended:An
AnalysisofNewYorkCityCharterSchoolDisciplinePolicesreviewingdisciplinepoliciesof
164NewYorkCitycharterschoolsanddemonstratingthatmanycharterschoolshave
disciplinepoliciesthatfailtomeetlegalrequirementsandviolatestudents’andparents’
civilrights.28
Advocatesforschooldisciplinereformalsomadeuseofnewsarticlestogetoutthemessage.These
articlesoftenbeginwithavignetteaboutastudentreceivingaharshpenaltyforadubious
infraction.Examplesinclude:
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Aninthgradehonorsstudentwassuspended30daysforhavingcoughsyrup;29
Afive‐year‐oldspecialneedsstudentwastiedtoachairanddeniedaccesstohismother;30
Athirteen‐year‐oldwassuspended30daysforbringingbedbugrepellanttoschoolafter
theschoolannouncedaninfestation;31
Amiddleschoolstudentinformedaschoolsafetyofficerthatsomeonehadwrittengraffiti
intheboys’restroom.Hewaspromptlyhandcuffed,arrested,andsuspendedfromschool
forwritingthegraffitialthoughtherewasnoevidencehehaddoneso;32and
Aseniorwassuspendedfor30daysforsearchingCraig’slistforjobopeningsintheschool
library.33
AtlanticfundedtheHatcherGrouptocoachorganizationsinhowtoobtainandusemediaexposure.
STRATEGY3:ProvidingPositiveAlternatives
AtlanticPhilanthropiesandorganizationsworkingforschooldisciplinereformrecognizedthat
simplystoppingsuspensionsandexpulsionswasn’tsufficient.Teachersandadministratorsneeded
alternativestomaintainlevelsofdisciplineintheirschoolsthatwouldprovideasupportive
learningenvironment.Someorganizationsworkedtodevelopandimplementsuchalternatives.
Communities in New York City. New York City: Dignity in Schools Campaign – New York, Make the Road New York, National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, Sistas and Brothas United, Teachers Unite. 27
New York Civil Liberties Union. 2013. A, B, C, D, STPP: How School Discipline Feeds the School‐to‐Prison Pipeline. New York City: New York Civil Liberties Union. 28
Advocates for Children New York. 2015. Civil Rights Suspended: An Analysis of New York City Charter School Discipline Polices. New York: Advocates for Children New York. 29
McFarland, A. 2014. Student Suspended for Bringing Cough Syrup to School. New York City: WABC‐TV Eyewitness News. 30
Hoffer, J. 2014. Policy Changes Coming After Special‐Needs Student Restrained in Bronx School. New York City: WABC‐TV Eyewitness News. 31
http://advocatesforchildren.org/who_we_are_afc/success_stories/steven. 32
http://advocatesforchildren.org/who_we_are_afc/success_stories/george. 33
http://wnyc.org/story. Focus on Discipline: How One NYC Student Was Suspended for 30 Days. 7 PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
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TeachersUnite,MaketheRoadNewYork,DignityinSchools,andNYUSchoolofLaw
workedtobuildRestorativeSchoolCommunitiesattheBushwickSchoolforSocialJustice,
LyonsCommunitySchool,andGreenSchool.34
TeachersUnitecreatedtheGrowingFairnessProjecttobuildrestorativejusticeprograms
inschools.Theprojectprovidesafilm,toolkitwithlessonplans,andworkshopstohelp
educatorsdevelopprograms.35
UnitedFederationofTeacherscollaboratedwiththeNYC‐DOEandtheCornellUniversity
ResidentialChildCareProjecttocreatetheInstituteforUnderstandingBehavior.This
institute:
 TrainsallschoolstaffusingCornellUniversity’sTherapeuticCrisisIntervention
curriculum.
 PlacesaBehaviorSpecialistineachschooltoprovideon‐siteschoolsupportby:
 Guidingschoolleadershipteams;
 DevelopingpartnershipswithCBOs;
 Holdingmonthlypracticumworkshops;and
 Trainingschoolstafftoprovidebehavioralmanagementstrategiesworkshopsfor
parents.36
AnnenbergInstituteforSchoolReform,BrownUniversitycreatedPASSAGE(Positiveand
SafeSchoolsAdvancingGreaterEquity)tosupportdistrictleadershipandcommunity
partnerstoimplementprogramandpolicyinterventions.TheircommunitypartnersinNew
YorkCity,–theUrbanYouthCollaborativeandtheDignityinSchoolsNewYorkCoalition–
workedwithNYCDOEtodefineacomprehensiveoverhaultotheschoolsystem’sapproach
todisciplineinordertoenddisparitiesinsuspensions.Theyare:
 Designingandlaunchingasystem‐widecommunicationstrategyaboutalternativesto
suspensionsandpositiveapproachestodiscipline;and
 Buildingthesysteminfrastructuretoprovideschoolsthesupportstheyneedto
implementthoseinterventions.37
TheCenterforNewYorkCityAffairsattheNewSchoolisdevelopingandtesting
alternativemetricsforassessingschoolperformance,includingattentiontodisciplinary
policiesandschoolclimate.38
34
NYU School of Law Advanced Mediation Center, National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, Make the Road New York, Teachers Unite, and Dignity in Schools Campaign – New York. 2011. Building Safe, Supportive, and Restorative School Communities. New York: 34 NYU School of Law Advanced Mediation Center, National Economic and Social Rights Initiative, Make the Road New York, Teachers Unite, and Dignity in Schools Campaign – New York 35
http://www.teachersunite.net/growingfairness 36
http://www.uft.org/vperspective. A New Model for Confronting Challenging Student Behavior 37
Annenberg Institute for School Reform. 2013. Support for Designing and Implementing a Discipline Disparities Learning Network: Project Summary. Providence: Annenberg Institute for School Reform, Brown University. 38
Nauer, K., Mader, N., Robinson, G., and Jacobs, T. 2014. A Better Picture of Poverty: What Chronic Absenteeism and Risk Load Reveal About NYC’s Lowest‐Income Elementary Schools. New York City: Center for New York City Affairs. PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
8
STRATEGY4:AdvocatingforChange
Manyorganizationsadvocatedforchangeinschooldisciplinepoliciesandpractices.Theyheld
rallies,organizedconferences,testifiedathearings,producednewsreleases,allinanattemptto
persuadepolicymakers.InNewYorkCity,examplesofAtlantic‐fundedorganizations’advocacy
effortsinclude:

MaketheRoadNewYorksupportedadvocacyforschooldisciplinereformbyorganizing,
policyinnovationandtransformativeeducationamongLatinoandworkingclass
communities.39

Sistas&BrothasUnitedconductedtrainingforstudentsontheSchooltoPrisonPipeline
andhostedSTPPawarenessday.40
DesisRisingUp&Moving(DRUM),partoftheSouthAsianOrganizingCenter,workedto
developleadershipandpoweroflow‐incomeyouthtowineducationreform.41
DignityinSchoolsCampaign‐NewYorkadvocatedforreformstotheNewYorkCity
SchoolDisciplineCode.Theymadespecificrecommendationstheywantedtoimplement.42
NewYorkCivilLibertiesUnionworkedtochangeschoolsafetyanddisciplinarypractices.
Theyalsomadespecificrecommendations.43
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STRATEGY5:ResortingtoLegalAction
Wheneducationandadvocacywerenotenoughtobringaboutschooldisciplinereform,advocates
forreformhaveturnedtothecourtsandoversightagenciesforrelief.InNewYorkCity:
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NewYorkCivilLibertiesUnionandtheAmericanCivilLibertiesUnionbroughtaclass
actionlawsuitinfederalcourtinJanuary,2010,againstNYPDSchoolSafetyDivision
allegingNYPDarrestsstudentsforminorviolationsofschoolrulesthatarenotcriminal;
handcuffsstudentsandlockstheminseclusionroomswithoutparentorteacherconsentor
probablecauseofcriminalactivity;andremovesmisbehavingschoolchildrenwithout
parentorteacherconsent,andtransportsthemtohospitalsforemergencypsychiatric
evaluations.44
AdvocatesforChildrenNewYorkfiledacomplaintwithNYSEducationDepartmentin
April,2013,againstNYC‐DOEforfailuretoprovidebehavioralsupportsforstudentswith
disabilities.45
LegalServicesofNYCbroughtactioninU.S.DistrictCourtagainstNYC‐DOEforrepeatedly
removingdisruptivespecialneedschildrenbycalling911tohavethemremovedbyEMS.46
39
http://www.maketheroadny.org. http://northwestbronx.org/what‐we‐do/sistas‐brothas‐united 41
http://www.drumnyc.org. 42
http://dignityinschools.org. 43
http://nyclu.org. 44
Ofer, U. 2012. op. cit. 45
Advocates for Children of New York. 2013. Advocates for Children Of New York Files Complaint Against the NYC Department of Education for Not Providing Mandated Behavior Supports That Could Decrease Suspensions. Advocates for Children of New York, Media Release. 40
9 PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
ThesettlementreachedinDecember,2014,requiresNYC‐DOEtoprovidetrainingin
TherapeuticCrisisInterventionto500employeesfromtheworstoffendingschools;and
formacrisisinterventionteamtocreateaplantoavoidcalling911.
STRATEGY6:ConnectingwithNationalandRegionalPartners
WhilelocalorganizationswereworkingtobringaboutschooldisciplinereforminNewYorkCity
andothercities,othergroupswereworkingonthenationalandregionalstage.TheU.S.
DepartmentsofEducationandJusticecreatedtheSupportiveSchoolDisciplineInitiativeinthe
Summerof2011aftertheCouncilofStateGovernments’releaseofBreakingSchools’Rules47,which
documentedthehighfrequencyofsuspensionsinTexasaswellasthedisproportionateburden
facedbyAfricanAmericanstudentsandthosewithdisabilities.
UndertheSupportiveSchoolDisciplineInitiative,theDepartmentsofEducationandJustice,along
withfoundationsthatincludedTheAtlanticPhilanthropies,fundedtheSchoolDiscipline
ConsensusProjectmanagedbytheCouncilofStateGovernments.ThepurposeoftheSchool
DisciplineConsensusProjectwastobringtogetherpractitionersfromthefieldsofeducation,
juvenilejustice,behavioralhealth,andlawenforcement,aswellasstateandlocalpolicymakers,
researchers,advocates,students,andparentstocollaborativelydevelopacomprehensivesetof
recommendationsforchange.ThoserecommendationswerepublishedinJune,2014,astheSchool
DisciplineConsensusReport:StrategiesfromtheFieldtoKeepStudentsEngagedinSchoolandOutof
theJuvenileJusticeSystem.48
InJanuary2014,theDepartmentsofEducationandJusticereleasedjointlegalguidancetoassist
publicschoolsanddistrictsinadministeringstudentdisciplinetomeettheirlegalobligationsunder
TitleIVandTitleVIoftheCivilRightsActof1964whichprohibitdiscriminationonthegroundsof
race,color,ornationalorigin.Atthesametime,theDepartmentofEducationreleasedaresource
guideoutlining“principles”forimprovingschoolclimateanddisciplinepractice.Theresource
guideincludes:anorganizedsetofguidingprinciplesandrelatedactionstepstohelpschools
improveschoolclimate,improvedisciplinepolicyandpractice,andreducedisproportionality;a
directoryoffederalresourcestoassistwiththeimplementationoftheprinciples;anda
compendiumofstate‐levellawsandregulationsrelevanttoschooldisciplinepolicyandpractice.
AspartoftheSupportiveSchoolDisciplineInitiative,theDepartmentofEducation’sCivilRights
databasetracksthetotalnumberofstudentsreceivingin‐schoolandout‐of‐schoolsuspensionsand
expulsions,thenumberofstudentsreferredtolawenforcement,thenumberofstudentswith
school‐relatedarrests,andthetotalnumberofstudentsexpelledunderzero‐tolerancepolicies.The
dataarecollectedeverytwoyearsandsince2012datahavebeencollectedfromallschooldistricts
46
Brody, L. 2014. “Students’ Suit Settled in New York City. Wall Street Journal. December 15. Fabelo, T., Thompson, M., Platkin, M., Carmichael, D., Marchbanks, M., and Booth, E. 2011. Breaking Schools’ Rules: A Statewide Study of How School Discipline Relates to Students’ Success and Juvenile Justice Involvement. New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center. 48
Morgan, E., Salomon, N., Plotkin, M., Cohen, R. 2014. School Discipline Consensus Report: Strategies from the Field to Keep Students Engaged in School and Out of the Juvenile Justice System. New York: Council of State Governments Justice Center. 47
PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
10
inthecountry(approximately17,000districts).TheCenterforCivilRightsRemediesatUCLA’s
CivilRightsProjectusedthedatabasetopublishOutofSchool&OffTrack:TheOveruseof
SuspensionsinAmericanMiddleandHighSchools49in2013documentingthewidespreaduseof
suspensionsforminorinfractionsandthedisparitiesforAfricanAmericanmalesandstudentswith
disabilities.
TheInitiativeprovidedassistancetotheNewYorkStatePermanentJudicialCommissiononJustice
forChildrentohosttheMarch2012NationalLeadershipSummitonSchool‐JusticePartnerships
whichconvenedteamsofstateeducationandjudicialofficialstoimprovepolicyandpractice
relatedtoschooldiscipline.KeepingKidsinSchoolandOutofCourt:ACollectionofReportstoInform
theNationalLeadershipSummitonSchoolJusticePartnerships50wasreleasedatthatSummit.
TheinvolvementoftheDepartmentsofEducationandJusticeincreasedthemomentumforschool
disciplinereform.Whileschoolsystemsmaybereluctanttobeout‐frontininnovatingchange,they
don’twanttobebehindeither–theyespeciallydon’twanttobeoutofcompliancewithguidelines
orregulationsfromeithertheUSDepartmentofEducationortheUSDepartmentofJustice.These
effortsfromgovernmentagenciesandnationalorganizationsmadethepointthatschooldiscipline
wasanationalproblemandthattheyintendedtobringaboutreforms.
STRATEGY7:WorkingforPoliticalChange
InNewYorkCitychangesinschooldisciplinepolicieswerecontingentonotherchangestaking
placefirst.
ThepossibilityofschooldisciplinereformwasgreatlylimitedaslongaseitherRudolphGiuliani
(1994–2001)orMichaelBloomberg(2002–2013)wasmayor.Bothmayorswerestrong
proponentsofthezerotolerancepolicieswhichledtotheplacementofpoliceinschoolsandlarge
increasesinthenumberofsuspensions,arrests,andexpulsions.Thechancellorstheyappointed
sharedtheirviews.However,MichaelBloombergchosenottorunforafourthtermin2013,
openingthedoorforanewmayorwithadifferentperspective.Advocatesforschooldiscipline
reformworkedtoeducate,advocate,andelectacandidatewhowouldsupporttheiragenda.
DignityinSchoolsCampaign–NewYorkdevelopedthePlatformforPositiveSchoolDiscipline51
whichcalledonthenewmayortoimplementandfundpositiveschool‐widedisciplinepolicies;
reducesuspensionsby50%bySeptember2013,eliminatesuspensionsofmorethan10days,and
reduceschool‐basedarrests;andmonitortheuseofsuspensions,removals,arrestsandpositive
interventions.TheTalkingTransitionProject52,fundedbyAtlanticsupportedadvocacyforschool
disciplinereformduringthetransitioninthemayoraladministrations.BilldeBlasio,whowonthe
election,campaigned,amongotherthings,forschooldisciplinereform.
49
Losen, D. and Martinez, T. 2013. Out of School and Off Track: The Overuse of Suspensions in American Middle and High Schools. Los Angeles: The Civil Rights Project. 50
New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children. 2012. Keeping Kids in School and Out of Court: A Collection of Reports to Inform the National Leadership Summit on School Justice Partnerships. Albany: New York State Permanent Judicial Commission on Justice for Children. 51
http://www.nesri.org. 2011. Platform for Positive School Discipline in New York City Schools. 52
http://www.talkingtransitions2013.com. 11 PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
DuringthissameperiodinNewYorkCity,therewasgrowingresentmentagainsttheNewYork
PoliceDepartment’spolicyofstop‐and‐friskinwhichpedestrianswerestopped,questioned,and
searchedforweaponsorotheritemsofcontraband.Themajorityofthosestoppedwereyoung
AfricanAmericanandLatinomales.Advocatesforschooldisciplinereformworkedtomakethe
connectionthatwhatstop‐and‐friskwasinthestreets,suspensionwasintheschools.Forexample,
NewYorkCivilLibertiesUnion’sA,B,C,D,STPP:HowSchoolDisciplineFeedstheSchool‐to‐Prison
Pipeline53linksschoolsuspensiontoNYPDstop‐and‐friskpatterns.Theincreasingrejectionofstop‐
and‐friskfueledthemovementforschooldisciplinereform.
HOWIT’SHAPPENING
WhenTheAtlanticPhilanthropiesbegantoaddresstheissueofschooldisciplinereformthe
movementhadmadelittleprogress.Atlantic’sapproachhasbeentobuildthecomponentsthat
wouldtransformthemovementintoaneffectivevehicleforchange.Atlantichasworkedatthe
local,regional,andnationallevels.
Strategicfundingcreatedandsupportedthenecessarycomponentsforreform.Thosecomponents
included:





Buildingcollaborationforjointaction;
Creatingawarenessabouttheissuethroughmonographsandnewscoverage;
Developingpositivealternativestosuspensionsandexpulsions;
Advocatingforchange;and
Usinglegalaction.
Additionalresourceswerebroughttostrengtheneachofthesecomponents.TheHatcherGroup
coachedorganizationsinhowtoobtainandusemediaexposure.TheAllianceforEducational
Justicesupportedorganizationstotrainyouthtoadvocateforeducationreforms.TheNAACPLegal
StrategiesCollaborativeprovidedaplatformfororganizationstoshareideasandlearnfromone
another.
Regionalandnationalorganizationswerefundedtosupportlocalreformefforts.Theseincluded
theSupportiveSchoolDisciplineInitiativewhichsupportedboththeSchoolDisciplineConsensus
ProjectandtheCivilRightsDataCollectiondatabase.TheNewYorkStatePermanentJudicial
CommissiononJusticeforChildrenwasfundedtosupporttheNationalLeadershipSummiton
School‐JusticePartnerships.FundswereprovidedtobringyouthtoWashingtonfortheNational
YouthSummit.
Theschooldisciplinereformmovementisrapidlygainingmomentum.Theeffortsinafewcities
andatthenationallevelhavedrawnattentiontotheissue.Reformsinthesecitieswilllikelyspread
53 53
New York Civil Liberties Union. 2013. A, B, C, D, STPP: How School Discipline Feeds the School‐to‐Prison Pipeline. New York City: New York Civil Liberties Union. PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION
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tootherplaces.Zero‐tolerancepolicieswhichpromotesuspensionsarelosingtheirpopularityand
thepublicisbecomingimpatientwiththeracialdisparitiesofjusticewhetherinoroutofschool.
ThishasbeenacasestudyofhowschooldisciplinereformoccurredinNewYorkCity,butitcould
justaseasilybeenwrittenaboutothercitieswhereAtlantichasworkedforreform.Thereare
broaderimplicationsaswell.Thereisalessonhereforanymovementseekingtochangepolicies.
Thestrategiesthatbroughtchangeinthisarenaarenotuniquetoschooldisciplinereform.They
couldbe,andperhapsmustbe,appliedinmanysituations.
13 PHILLIBERRESEARCH&EVALUATION