T RAIN THE T RAINERS DSC M ODEL C ODE Goals of this webinar: 1.Familiarize yourself with the DSC Model Code and the Code of Conduct Comparison Tool 2.Be able to run this activity in a local meeting or workshop to help move forward local organizing goals in New Orleans 1

T HINGS TO HAVE OPEN ON YOUR COMPUTER OR PRINTED OUT IN FRONT OF YOU This Powerpoint The DSC Comparison Tool – available in Word or PDF The Recovery School District Code of Conduct – available in Word or PDF All Documents can be downloaded at: 2

A GENDA Welcome and Introductions – 15 min Sample Agenda for Local Training – 45 min Intro to DSC Local Data from New Orleans Overview of Model Code Exercises Exercises – 50 min Code of Conduct Comparison Tool Elevator Pitch Exercise Wrap-Up – 10 min Questions about the Comparison Tool Questions about Facilitating Local Trainings 3

G O A ROUND Q UESTION : S HARE YOUR N AME, O RGANIZATION AND A NSWER TO THIS QUESTION : H AVE YOU EVER WORKED ON AN EFFORT TO CHANGE YOUR LOCAL CODE OF CONDUCT ? 4

S AMPLE A GENDA : M ODEL C ODE W ORKSHOP 1.Welcome, Introductions and What is DSC? Go around question and intro to DSC 2.Quick Overview of Discipline in New Orleans Suspension/Expulsion Data and Student Code of Conduct 3.Overview of DSC Model Code What is the Model Code? What does it say about discipline? 4.Exercise to Compare DSC Model Code to Your Local Code As a large group or in small groups, go through the Model Code Comparison Tool (in small groups, you could give each group one page) Report back to share one or two things you learned Use the Strategy Chart to identify priorities for your campaign 5

SAMPLE TRAINING W ORKSHOP ON C OMPARING YOUR C ODE OF C ONDUCT TO THE DSC M ODEL C ODE 6

D IGNITY IN S CHOOLS C AMPAIGN (DSC) Challenges the systemic problem of pushout and advocates for the human right of every young person to education and dignity More than 75 organizations from 22 states Youth and parent base-building Legal and advocacy Teachers and educators Researchers 7

I NTRODUCTION TO L OCAL O RGANIZATIONS 8

D ATA ON N EW O RLEANS Schools with Highest Suspension Rates % Suspended GW Carver Collegiate Academy68.50% GW Carver Preparatory Academy61.36% Sci Academy58.39% Cohen College Prep46.39% Joseph S. Clark Preparatory HS 46.36% GW Carver HS45.45% KIPP Renaissance HS36.99% Out-of-School Suspension (OSS) Rates in School Year: OSS rate in Louisiana statewide was 9.2% Average OSS rate in RSD charter schools was 15.8% Average OSS rate in RSD direct-run schools was 26.6% 1/3 of New Orleans public schools have a suspension rate over 20% 9

O VERVIEW RSD C ODE OF C ONDUCT Code of Conduct lists “Corrective Strategies” that can be used instead of suspensions, ranging from creating behavior plans, contacting parents to in-school suspension Three Levels of Infractions Level 1 - Non-suspendable (dress code, profanity, etc.) Level 2 – May receive suspension, corrective strategies encouraged (willful disobedience, fighting, etc.) Level 3 – May be expelled (weapons, assault, etc.) Students suspended 3 or more consecutive days will be provided schoolwork during their suspension 10

O RGANIZING IN N EW O RLEANS – O UR G OALS Objectives of Criminal Justice and Education Equity Caucus Work Group: Empower and educate parents, students and the community about current suspension and expulsion policies and their impact. Identify current legislation and discipline codes that play a factor in school push out, removal and serve as a gateway to the “School to Prison Pipeline.” Provide training on model student codes, including Dignity in Schools “Model Code on Education and Dignity.” Encourage outreach and engage parents, youth, and advocates in the development and proposal of alternatives to the current suspension and expulsion policies that reflect human rights and dignity in education, and provide effective alternatives for school administrators. Identify 2-3 pilot schools in New Orleans to use the Model Code to revise their Codes of Conduct and improve implementation. 11

A NY Q UESTIONS S O F AR ? A NYTHING ELSE YOU WOULD WANT TO SHARE ABOUT WHAT ’ S GOING ON IN N EW O RLEANS ? 12

W HAT IS THE DSC M ODEL C ODE ? Model policies for schools, districts and legislators to address school pushout and create safe and positive climates for learning Based on research, best practices and on the ground experiences of students, parents and educators Rooted in fundamental human rights principle that the goal of education is to develop each young person to their full potential 13

H OW WAS THE M ODEL C ODE DEVELOPED ? Drafted and reviewed by members of the Model Code Working Group Reviewed at two American Bar Association summits Reviewed and edited at community engagement sessions with students, parents and teachers in 8 different states (CA, FL, GA, IL, LA, MS, NY, PA) 14

O VERVIEW OF THE DSC M ODEL C ODE 1. Education Full Potential of Children and Youth Core program elements of the right to education Ensuring Equity in Education 2. Participation Stakeholder Rights Steps to ensure meaningful role in decision-making Rights of Children and Youth Rights of Parents and Guardians 3. Dignity School Climate & Discipline Preventive and positive approaches Avoiding Criminalization Right to Remain in School 4. Freedom from Discrimination Eliminating Discrimination Practices, structures and outcomes Disproportionate Discipline Students with Disabilities 5. Monitoring & Accountability Right to Information Disaggregated and accessible to communities Data Collection Monitoring & Community Analysis 15

U SING THE M ODEL C ODE Identify which sections of the Code are most relevant to your community or school Compare the Model Code to the existing law or policy Use “recommended language” from the Code to help shape policy changes Use guidelines in the Model Code to assist with implementation 15 16

A NY Q UESTIONS A BOUT THE M ODEL C ODE AND H OW IT WAS D EVELOPED ? 17

T ODAY ’ S F OCUS : C HAPTER 3.1 P OSITIVE S CHOOL D ISCIPLINE Human Rights Goal: School discipline policies shall be aimed at creating a positive school climate, supporting the social and emotional development of students and teaching non-violence and respect for everyone in the school community. Recommended Language: States, districts and schools shall adopt evidence-based, school-wide, preventive and positive discipline policies that are developed with participation of students, parents or guardians, educators and other stakeholders. 18

P OSITIVE A PPROACH TO D ISCIPLINE Clear Expectations and Graduated Levels of Support and Intervention Consequences for misbehavior that are individualized, consistent, reasonable, fair, age appropriate and match the severity of the student’s behavior Knowledge of School Policies and Practices Ensure students, parents and teachers know and understand all of the school norms, expectations, rules and processes Non-Exclusionary Discipline Responses Prioritize alternatives to suspension, including but not limited to: Mediation and conflict resolution Restorative circles, conversations and family group conferences Counseling Tiered support team interventions 19

L IMITS ON E XCLUSIONARY D ISCIPLINE Limit Suspension and Expulsion Only for the most serious offenses Only after non-exclusionary discipline alternatives have been carefully considered, tried and documented Only after it is determined that exclusion from school is absolutely necessary to protect the safety of the school community Only after considering the full impact of the decision on both the student and the school community. End Zero-tolerance Policies Revise state laws, district Codes of Conduct and school discipline policies to eliminate any mandates for suspension or expulsion for specific offenses (Except where mandated by federal law) 20

C H 3.1. C G UIDELINES FOR E XCLUSION ( PG. 34) No suspension more than 5 days in a row, or 10 days total in a year Right to remain in school and receive alternative, equivalent education during suspension or expulsion Factors to consider prior to exclusion (full list in the code): - disciplinary history, academic history, what interventions have been tried - severity of the offense, whether was acting in self-defense - family situation, mental illness and undiagnosed disability Suspension shall be prohibited for minor misbehavior: - Being late to school or class or being absent - Violating school dress code or uniform rules - Insubordination, defiance, disobedience, disrespect, or disruptive or rowdy behavior, - Behavior that happens off of school grounds and not as part of school-sponsored activity 21

D ISTRICT S CHOOL C LIMATE AND B EHAVIOR C OMMITTEE Representation of all school stakeholders with training in positive approaches to discipline, like SWPBIS and restorative practices, to: Develop guidelines for implementing positive school-wide approaches to discipline, including SWPBIS and Restorative Practices. Ensure schools and communities receive training and technical assistance in implementing positive approaches. Create mechanisms to collect and evaluate data and intervene where there are high rates of exclusion and/or disparities. 22

S CHOOL C LIMATE AND B EHAVIOR L EADERSHIP T EAM Representation of all school stakeholders with training in positive approaches to discipline, like SWPBIS and restorative practices, to: Create plans, share information and secure school-wide support for implementing SWPBIS and restorative practices. Develop school-wide norms or behavioral expectations. Develop trainings, lesson plans and strategies for preventing and responding to misbehavior. Develop strategies for preventing and eliminating discrimination. Track and evaluate discipline data and monitor and evaluate implementation of positive discipline 23

P ARENT P ARTICIPATION IN D ECISION -M AKING Schools shall ensure that parents or guardians have a right to monitor and evaluate implementation of school policies and practices, including: 1.Regular, parent or guardian-led school forums at which school staff must listen and respond to parent and guardian assessments; 2.Open and clear communication to parents or guardians about their right to visit schools and classrooms; 3.Parent or guardian-led assessments of schools to identify areas that need more accountability; and 4.Policies that protect parents’ and guardians’ right to monitor schools’ implementation of programs without retaliation. 24

P ARENT P ARTICIPATION IN C HILD ’ S E DUCATION Schools shall ensure parents or guardians have a right to participate in decisions affecting their individual child’s education including, but not limited to: 1.Adherence by teachers, administrators and other school staff to an “early warning” system that identifies academic or behavioral challenges as soon as possible and works with parents or guardians to identify solutions; 2.Participation in restorative discipline solutions (see Section 3.1.b of this Code); and 3.Protection of due process rights, including as related to school discipline (see Section 3.1.d of this Code) 25

A NY Q UESTIONS ON O VERVIEW OF M ODEL C ODE ? W HAT ARE OTHER THINGS WE COULD DO TO MONITOR IMPLEMENTATION ? 26

Now participants can work through the Model Code Comparison Tool as a large group or in small groups. M ODEL C ODE C OMPARISON T OOL 27

Now participants can identify top priorities to work on to make changes to their local code of conduct. M ODEL C ODE S TRATEGY C HART 28

R ECENT TRAINING IN J ERSEY C ITY 29

E XAMPLE OF S TRATEGY C HART A NSWERS Community Toolkit Template Evaluation Form What else? O THER R ESOURCES FOR L OCAL T RAININGS : 30

Instructions: Break up participants into teams of 3-5 people. Each team should discuss the Scenario below and develop their elevator pitch. Then each team will pick one person to “play” the Superintendent and one person to give the pitch. Each team will act out their elevator pitch in front of the large group. Scenario: Imagine you are riding in an elevator when suddenly the superintendent of your school district (or principal of your school) enters. You see her press the button for the eleventh floor, meaning you have just about two minutes to convince her to implement the Model Code. What will you say to get your point across to her in such a short period of time? Note: Make sure to make a request of the decision maker that will allow you to follow up with them, such as a commitment to read the code or share it with other policy makers. E LEVATOR P ITCH E XERCISE FROM T OOLKIT 31

N EXT S TEPS Read the Model Code and share with others code code What are other next steps we could ask for in the New Orleans trainings? 32

Q&A Q UESTIONS ABOUT EXERCISES ? LOCAL TRAININGS ? 33

T HANK YOU ! 34