Beyond “Willful Defiance” – Implementing SB 274 Through Equitable Discipline Practices

• In Event: Unforgetting Punishment: How Safety Policies Reproduce—or Resist—Inequity in Schools

Abstract

This study examines the early implementation of California’s SB 274, which eliminated “willful defiance” suspensions. Within a 10-district research-practice partnership, we use a synthesized framework of street-level bureaucracy, sensemaking, and critical race theory to analyze how educators translate state policy into practice. Our mixed-methods analysis—drawing from discipline data, climate surveys, policy artifacts, and practitioner observations—reveals a complex landscape. While the policy successfully eliminated defiance suspensions, preliminary findings show persistent challenges, including the substitution of other punitive measures, ongoing racial disparities, and significant resource constraints. This study offers crucial, evidence-based insights for policymakers and leaders on the systemic supports necessary to move from policy mandates to truly restorative school cultures.

Authors

• Michael D. Corral, University of California - Los Angeles

• Luis A. Cisneros, University of California - Los Angeles

• Maria L. Espino, University of California - Los Angeles