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- Follow Behavior Intervention Plans (BIP) created by Behavior Interventionists.  That document should be treated as a 504 or IEP as it is required for student behavior support.
- Document student behavior challenges and inform parents/guardians of concerns and the documentation process.
-Stay in communication with parents/guardians and work collaboratively to correct student misbehavior.
- Before referral process, ensure the student has been allowed due process, if applicable to the behavior, and notify parents of this step as it will likely lead to in-school-suspension.
- Follow all district and campus discipline policies and procedures and notify the behavior interventionists if it is believed adjustments to a student's BIP are necessary.
- Use only approved district disciplinary actions and keep administration, the Behavior Interventionist, and parents involved and aware of all behavior concerns.

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Positive Alternatives to Suspension by Cathy DeSalvo, MS, Mike Meeks, MS, and Matthew Buckman, PhD.
The books offers suggestions as to how to keep disruptive students actively engaged in the classroom. It offers clear and useful plans and tools to create a more positive in school suspension plan, if needed, to keep students engaged and returned to the classroom sooner than later.

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Discover an effective way to keep severely disruptive students engaged in the learning process! This book provides all the guidance you need to decrease the frequency, severity and duration of disruptive behaviors and avoid harsh and ineffective disciplinary practices. The authors provide a blueprint for creating an in-school alternative to out-of-school suspension, giving students the best opportunity to overcome their challenges and find success. They explain how to create structure, use motivation and teach social skills so students remain engaged and connected to school. Several behavioral situations that typically lead to suspension, including bullying, stealing, and fighting are highlighted and linked to specific social skills that address those behaviors.

Checklists for setting up an effective alternative suspension classroom, along with tools to improve your current in-school suspension practices, are included. Sample writing activities and worksheets for suspended students and an index of social skills with their behavioral can be downloaded. 199 pgs.

"More than half (57 percent) of teachers believe poor student behavior is at least somewhat of a problem. Majority of these teachers believe SEL is a solution. Of the teachers who list poor student behavior as at least somewhat of a problem, three in four (78 percent) say SEL is very important and 79 percent think it will improve student performance." - The Missing Piece: A Report of CASEL (Civic Enterprises, 2016)

Published by Boys Town Press

ISBN: 978-1-934490-99-0
Learn about our Positive Alternatives to Suspension Training Workshop here!

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Discover an effective way to keep severely disruptive students engaged in the learning process! This book provides all the guidance you need to decrease the frequency, severity and duration of disruptive behaviors and avoid harsh and ineffective disciplinary practices.

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Texas Administrative Code Rule section 247.2
(D) Standard 3.4. The educator shall not exclude a student from participation in a program, deny benefits to a student, or grant an advantage to a student on the basis of race, color, gender, disability, national origin, religion, family status, or sexual orientation.
Tex. Adm. Code. chapter 247.2
https://texreg.sos.state.tx.us/public/readtac$ext.TacPage?sl=R&app=9&p_dir=&p_rloc=&p_tloc=&p_ploc=&pg=1&p_tac=&ti=19&pt=7&ch=247&rl=2

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Everman Independent School District Student Code of Conduct
Removal from the Regular Classroom Setting:
- Formal Removal: 1) The student's behavior has been documented by the teacher as repeatedly interfering with the teacher's ability to teach his or her class or with the student's classmates' ability to learn; or
2) The behavior is so unruly, disruptive, or abusive that the teacher cannot teach, and the students in the classroom cannot learn.
When a student is removed from the regular classroom and a conference is pending the campus behavior coordinator or other administrator may place the student in: another appropriate setting, In-school suspension, Out-of school suspension, or DAEP
(Everman Student Code of Conduct, 2019).
https://www.eisd.org/cms/lib/TX02216949/Centricity/Domain/268/Code%20of%20Conduct%2017-18.pdf

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United States Constitutional Amendment XIV
- Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin
Us. Const. amend. XIV
https://constitutioncenter.org/interactive-constitution/amendment/amendment-xiv

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Texas Constitution, Article 7, section 70
- Explains Texas' role in public education.
-Section 1 specifically explains the "Support and Maintenance of System of Public Free Schools"
-Section 2 discusses the legality of maintaining a permanent school fund for the support of public schools.
Tex. Const. article 7 sec. 70
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/CN/htm/CN.7.htm

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Texas Education Code section 34.007
- Explains the law for students to be removed from the classroom by teachers or administrators.
-Specifies the types of behavior that would warrant removal from the classroom.
Tex. Educ. Code sec. 37.005
https://statutes.capitol.texas.gov/Docs/ED/htm/ED.37.htm

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Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964
-  Prohibits discrimination based on race, color, or national origin in programs receiving federal funding.
- If a recipient is found to have discriminated and voluntary compliance cannot be achieved the recipient will lose federal funding.
Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, 42. U. S. C. sec. 2000 et seq.
https://www.justice.gov/crt/fcs/TitleVI-Overview

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Schools in California will enact a law that will prohibit students from being sent home for out-of-school suspensions instead opting for in-school-suspensions.  The article, In-school Suspensions the Answer to School Discipline?  Not Necessarily, Experts Say claims that in July 2020 the state of California will make it illegal to place students in elementary and middle school in out-of-school suspension.  However, high school students can still be suspended or expelled or severe behavior and crimes.  The article states, "...out-of-school suspensions can hurt students' academic performance and actually make behavior problems worse" (Jones, 2019).
https://edsource.org/2019/in-school-suspensions-the-answer-to-school-discipline-not-necessarily-experts-say/619083

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According the Article by Sarah Sparks, Students Move Further Down School-to-Prison Pipeline With Every School Suspension, "...Every school suspension weakens [students'] connection to school and increases their odds of committing theft, assault, and other crimes" (Sparks, 2019).  The article focuses on data from more than 8,600 middle and high school students.  The students were asked how many times they were suspended over four "waves".  A large number of African American and Hispanic students claimed, and the data shows, that they committed fewer school crimes than White students, however their punishments were more harsh and they were suspended from school more often than White students.  The data presented in the article claims that the more hours students were removed from the classroom due to suspensions the connection they held to their school weakened.  Those students began friendships with other students who were also being suspended and thus their connection to those students became stronger than to their school.  This bond and influence has shown to lead students into a life of crime and imprisonment (Sparks, 2019).
https://blogs.edweek.org/edweek/inside-school-research/2019/07/suspension_moves_students_school_to_prison_pipeline.html?print=1

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National Education Association's article, Freeing Schools from the Schools to Prison Pipeline shares statistical information linking out of school suspensions to juvenile detention centers and adult incarceration.  The article claims that zero tolerance schools districts have actually done more harm than good.  It goes on to explain that districts with this policy have been quick to suspend or expel students leading them into a life of crime and prison.  Every student has deserves to learn in a safe learning environment, even those with behavior challenges.  The article explains that the rates of African Americans, Hispanics, and Native American students being suspended or expelled are exceed the numbers of their White peers.  Studies show that their punishments tend to be more severe than that of their counterparts.  Luckily, The Department of Education and Justice have taken notice of these statistics and have released information and training protocol to public schools nationwide to improve school climate and decrease discipline disparities (Freeing School from the School-to-Prison Pipeline, 2015).
https://www.nea.org/assets/docs/NEA_school_to_prison_pipline_2016.pdf

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Slide 2: Interview with Jacob Seals, Assistant Principal, E. Ray Elementary

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Slide 2: Interview with Jacob Seals, Assistant Principal, E. Ray Elementary

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Jacob Seals is the assistant principal at E. Ray Elementary School in Everman ISD.  His position as A.P. requires that he handle the majority of disciplinary issues in the school.  Mr. Seals explained that handling discipline at the elementary level is much different than at intermediate and secondary school levels.  He explained that Everman ISD strictly follows Texas House Bill 674 that requires students grades pre-k through 2nd not be punished with out of school suspension.  Seals goes on to explain that due to this law, Everman ISD utilizes Behavioral Interventionists full time to assist teachers with students who struggle with self control, emotional outbursts, and defiant behavior.  Lisa Wooden, the campus BI, creates behavior intervention plans for all students who require emotional and behavioral support.  She makes rounds to all teachers classrooms daily to check on students and support teachers if necessary.  Mrs. Wooden is assisted by Mr. Ross who assists in the efforts.  However, Mr. Ross' classroom serves as the on campus In School Suspension room.  If student behavior plans have been followed, however student misbehavior continues to be a distraction for the student and classmates, Mr. Seals will assign between an hour up to three days of in school suspension.  Once Mrs. Wooden and Mr. Ross receive a student for ISS they immediately contact the teacher and ask about classroom assignments and how to complete them.  They are both extremely diligent in assisting students with their school work so the student does not fall behind in instruction.  ISS is important to the building because it offers students the opportunity to "cool off" and refocus their energy in order to be more productive in the classroom.  There have been marked improvements in student behavior and performance with the elimination of out of school suspension.  Students are no longer removed from an educational setting completely, they are still in a safe learning environment receiving their accommodations and having their academic needs met.  Mr. Seals goes on to explain that the has only assigned out of school suspension one time due to the student's chronic misbehavior and unwillingness to abide by school and district policies and expectations.  Continuing on that topic, Seals stated that if a student must be removed from the building for a behavior too severe to keep them on campus, he will place them in Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP) on another elementary campus where students will continue to be served by a certified teacher and be in a safe learning environment.  Mr. Seals states that the best practices for E. Ray Elementary are: 1) Teachers consistent documentation and communication with parents via online communication tool and campus mandated conduct sheet.  2) Should behavior escalate the classroom teacher will begin a "4-step Discipline Plan".  The plan documents escalated behavior and requires parents be notified at each step.  3) Students are always offered their due process when a physical altercation or harm has been alleged against them.  Statements will be written and discussed.  Parents will be notified.
An emerging trend campus principals and administration are aware of is the use of Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS).  Teachers are encouraged to discuss what respect looks like, sounds like, and feels like, for all people and materials.  PBIS is fairly new to Everman ISD and the district is leaning heavily on the research that proves positive results in all student behavior, and especially for those students who struggle behaviorally.
The link to Mr. Seals' bio for E. Ray Elementary is https://www.eisd.org/Page/1267.

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The perspective from which this presentation is written is from that of a future school administrator and current elementary classroom teacher.  The intended audience is teachers and staff at E. Ray Elementary School in Everman ISD.  The topic of this presentation is School Suspension and the impact it has on students.