Alternative discipline can benefit learning

Removing students from the classroom is a primary way that schools address student misbehavior. Research shows that such exclusionary discipline practices have lasting negative effects on students, including an increased likelihood of repeating a grade, dropping out of school, and coming into contact with the juvenile justice system — contributing to the school-to-prison pipeline (Fabelo et al., 2011).

Notably, many schools across the country are changing how they discipline students by implementing research- and evidence-based disciplinary practices that have yielded positive results for schools and students. These disciplinary practices largely aim to keep students in the classroom and modify student behavior by equipping students with the knowledge and support systems to address the root causes of the misbehavior.

Our intention here is to highlight and provide examples of successful implementation of three alternative disciplinary models: restorative justice, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), and social and emotional learning (SEL). These disciplinary models effectively address common behavioral problems that exclusionary discipline attempts to remedy. They proactively address potential misbehavior by teaching students how to manage conflict, setting clear community expectations, and instructing students on core social and emotional competencies. These successful alternative disciplinary models allow schools to place more time and energy on their primary purpose — teaching students.