State invests $10.3 million in program to support positive school climate reforms and fix school discipline
In a victory for California students and schools, state lawmakers have passed a $10 million dollar project to train and support teachers and administrators over the next three years on how to use more positive, trauma-sensitive, and effective approaches to school discipline. Fix School Discipline partners, Public Counsel, and the Alliance for Boys and Men of Color advocated for the state budget allocation, which will create funding for a statewide network of trainers, training programs and coaching, and grants to school districts to create and support a multi-tiered system of school-wide social emotional and positive behavior support, restorative justice, and training in cultural competency.
The supports range from changes in school climate–such as restorative circles to build strong relationships in classrooms –to interventions such as counseling for students at high risk. The goal is to keep students in school and build a culture that is respectful and supportive of all students. Learn more about how the funding will be allocated through EdSource’s coverage below, including an op-ed by Public Counsel’s Lisa Higuera, who shared her personal experiences with how punitive school discipline pushed out some of her friends and fellow students who were struggling in school in Los Angeles.
Links:
Budget allocates $10 million for training in positive discipline
by Susan Frey
OP-ED: We can’t give up on struggling students
by Lisa Higuera