1. Classrooms Not Courtrooms: Virginia’s Approach to Addressing Exclusionary Discipline
Jennifer Piver-Renna, PhD
Tom Manthey, PhD
Virginia Department of Education

2. Outline Overview of Classrooms not Courtrooms Initiative Data Review
Trends in suspensions and expulsions
Disproportionality by race and disability
Locality analysis
Intervention Strategies

3. Source: Center for Public Integrity. http://www. publicintegrity

4. Classrooms not Courtrooms
Led by the Governor’s Children’s Cabinet
Multi-agency, administration-wide push
Reduce suspensions, expulsions and student referrals
Address disparate impact on minorities and students with disabilities
Address emphasis on subjective offenses
Initial approach
Improve data quality and cross-agency data sharing
Expand Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports
Develop a joint school resource officer (SRO) training program
Rewrite the SRO Model MOU and the SRO Program Guide

5. Declining trend in suspensions and expulsions has stabilized
Disciplinary Action
All Virginia School Divisions
Five-Year Trend
Students suspended (short-term)
Rate1
53.76
Number
68,802
Students
suspended (long-term)
Rate
2.20
2,819
Students expelled
0.30
388
1Rate per 1,000 students
Source: VDOE Discipline, Crime and Violence Data Collection,

6. Disproportionality persists and is increasing over time
Short-term Suspensions
All Offenses
All Virginia School Divisions
Percent Enrollment (B)
Gap
(B – A)
Five-Year Trend
Black Students
Percent of Suspensions (A)
53.01%
23.02%
-29.99%
Students Suspended
36,474
Students w/ Disabilities
Percent of Suspensions
(A)
24.86%
12.26%
-12.60%
17,106
Source: VDOE Discipline, Crime and Violence Data Collection,

7. Disproportionality is more pronounced among subjective offenses
Short-term Suspensions
Disorderly and Disruptive Offenses
All Virginia School Divisions
Percent Enrollment (B)
Gap
(B – A)
Five-Year Trend
Black Students
Percent of Suspensions (A)
58.34%
23.02%
-35.32%
Students
Suspended
23,842
Students w/ Disabilities
Percent of Suspensions
(A)
26.81%
12.26%
-14.55%
10,955
Source: VDOE Discipline, Crime and Violence Data Collection,

8. Value of Data Understand scope of problem
Are incidents disproportionately occurring at certain times or in certain locations?
Are some students disproportionately disciplined or represented in certain types of referrals?
Are some students disciplined more harshly than other students for the same infractions?
Are some staff disproportionately referring all or groups of students for discipline?
Understand whether an intervention is working
Are interventions having an effect on the frequency of disciplinary referrals for all students? For groups of students?

9. Using Data in Practice Examine data frequently: Disaggregated data
Number and demographics of students suspended
Number of instructional days lost
Number of incidents
Reason for suspension

10. High School Data Example
Enrollment
Students suspended (short-term)
Gap Ratio
White students
1009 70 --
Black students
868
129
2.145
Students w/o disabilities
1830
163
Students w/ disabilities
334 67
2.247
Calculating disproportionality gap among black students:
((129 / 868) / (70 / 1009)) = / = 2.145
Black students are 2.1 times more likely to be suspended than white students.
Calculating disproportionality gap among students with disabilities:
((67 / 334) / (163 / 1830)) = / = 2.247
Students with disabilities are 2.2 times more likely to be suspended than students without disabilities.
Calculate odds ratio (2x2 table)

11. High School Data Example
Enrollment
Students suspended (short-term, disruptive/disorderly)
Gap Ratio
White students
1009 43 --
Black students
868 95
2.595
Students w/o disabilities
1830
114
Students w/ disabilities
334 49
2.371
Calculating disproportionality gap among black students:
((95 / 868) / (43 / 1009)) = / = 2.595
Black students are 2.6 times more likely to be suspended for disruptive and disorderly behavior offenses than white students.
Calculating disproportionality gap among students with disabilities:
((49 / 334) / (114 / 1830)) = / = 2.371
Students with disabilities are 2.4 times more likely to be suspended for disruptive and disorderly behavior offenses than students without disabilities.
Calculate odds ratio (2x2 table)

12. Interpretation
Data do not necessarily prove that students are being discriminated against, but without data it is difficult to know if all students are being treated fairly.
Best practices may be employed without school or division specific data, but without data it will be difficult to know what is working and what needs to be adjusted.
It is better to know your own data than to have someone else make it known to you.

13. Make Use of All Available Data
Safe Schools Information Resource
Virginia Secondary School Climate Survey
Your own observations, conversations, and reflections!

15. Virginia Tiered Systems of Supports
Prevention first
One setting: Multiple levels of support intensity
Tier I, Tier II, and Tier III
Early intervention
Align academic, behavioral, mental health, and social supports
Collect and use data
Shifts focus from the Student to the System
Areas of focus.
Followed by…let’s examine these more closely as transition slide

16. Experimental Research
4/12/2018
Experimental Research
Results are experimentally related to:
Reduction in problem behavior
Increased academic performance
Increased attendance
Improved perception of safety
Improved organizational efficiency
Reduction in staff turnover
Increased perception of teacher efficacy
Reduction in teacher reported bullying behavior and peer rejection
Bradshaw, C.P., Koth, C.W., Thornton, L.A., & Leaf, P.J. (2009). Altering school climate through school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports: Findings from a group-randomized effectiveness trial. Prevention Science, 10(2), Bradshaw, C.P., Koth, C.W., Bevans, K.B., Ialongo, N., & Leaf, P.J. (2008). The impact of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (MTSS-B) on the organizational health of elementary schools. School Psychology Quarterly, 23(4), Bradshaw, C. P., Mitchell, M. M., & Leaf, P. J. (2010). Examining the effects of School-Wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on student outcomes: Results from a randomized controlled effectiveness trial in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 12, Bradshaw, C.P., Reinke, W. M., Brown, L. D., Bevans, K.B., & Leaf, P.J. (2008). Implementation of school-wide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (MTSS-B) in elementary schools: Observations from a randomized trial. Education & Treatment of Children, 31, Horner, R., Sugai, G., Smolkowski, K., Eber, L., Nakasato, J., Todd, A., & Esperanza, J., (2009). A randomized, wait-list controlled effectiveness trial assessing school-wide positive behavior support in elementary schools. Journal of Positive Behavior Interventions, 11, Horner, R. H., Sugai, G., & Anderson, C. M. (2010). Examining the evidence base for school-wide positive behavior support. Focus on Exceptionality, 42(8), Bradshaw, C., Waasdorp, T., Leaf. P., (in press). Effects of School-wide positive behavioral interventions and supports on child behavior problems and adjustment. Pediatrics. Waasdorp, T., Bradshaw, C., & Leaf , P., (2012) The Impact of Schoolwide Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports on Bullying and Peer Rejection: A Randomized Controlled Effectiveness Trial. Archive of Pediatric Adolescent Medicine. 2012;166(2):
We know this gets results when we implement with fidelity. When school communities are unsure of how MTSS-B will affect their school’s progress, it may be helpful to share these results that many schools have discovered. In fact, there is experimental research that indicates that schools implementing a schoolwide approach to behavior often see reduction in problem behavior, increase academic performance, increased attendance, improved perception of safety, improved organizational efficiency, reduction in staff turnover, increased perception of teacher efficacy and reduction in teacher reported bullying behavior and peer rejection.
Need to find academic…similar academic research

17. TIER I: Core, Universal
Implementing well researched programs and practices demonstrated to produce good outcomes for the majority
GOAL: 100% achieve at high levels!
Tier 1 is effective if at least 80% are meeting expectations 17 17

18. TIER II: Supplemental, Targeted
Tier II is effective if at least 70-80% improve performance
GOAL: No more than approximately 20% needing supplemental in addition to the core for achievement. 18 18

19. TIER III: Intensive, Individualized
Tier III: is effective if at least 70-80% improve performance
GOAL: 0-5% of needing intensive, individualized support in addition to core and supplemental
pre 19 19

20. Continuum of Support for ALL
Universal
Targeted
Intensive
Continuum of Support for ALL
Math
Spanish
Science
Lacrosse
NOTICE GREEN GOES IS FOR “ALL”
Social skills
Reading
Social Studies
Label behavior…not people

21. SYSTEMS PRACTICES DATA OUTCOMES Supporting Decision Making Supporting
Supporting Improvements in Behavioral Competence, Academic Achievement and Social-Emotional Wellness
SYSTEMS
PRACTICES
DATA
OUTCOMES
Supporting
Decision
Making
Supporting
Personnel
Supporting
Youth 21

22. Questions?