"Discipline is Always Teaching": Effective Alternatives to Zero Tolerance in Indiana's Schools

How can we keep schools safe and promote a school climate that is conducive to student learning? In the previous two papers, we examined methods that have not demonstrated success in maintaining safe and productive school climates. The first briefing paper demonstrated that zero tolerance has not met its goal of maintaining safety, has been inconsistently applied, increased racial disparities, and been associated with increased school dropout. The second briefing paper showed that although Indiana’s rate of expulsion appears to be declining, the risks associated with the use of school suspension and expulsion appear to apply in Indiana as well. Minority students are over-represented in the use of both suspension and expulsion, and schools with higher rates of out-of-school suspensions tend to have lower passing rates on ISTEP.