From Punitive to Restorative: The Impact of Discipline Policy Reform in Two Central California High Schools

• In Event: AERA Roundtable Session Thursday 4:15 pm
  In Roundtable Session: Socially-Just Leadership for Marginalized Identities

Abstract

Increased scrutiny of racial disproportionality in school discipline has prompted a national push toward alternatives that emphasize community, healing, and equity. At the forefront of these reforms are restorative justice practices and culturally responsive school leadership, two equity-centered paradigms that aim to dismantle structural inequities in K-12 education. Grounded in empirical research, this paper examines how leaders at two large, Title I, suburban high schools serving students of color have transformed discipline through the implementation of restorative practices. Framed by Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL) and school systems thinking, these case studies highlight measurable outcomes and the deep changes in schooling students experienced during the shift from punitive to equity-centered approaches.

Authors

• William Yovanni Marroquin, California State University - Stanislaus

• Anysia P. Mayer, California State University, Stanislaus

• Kim Wood, Ceres Unified School District

• Shadi Safi, Roseville City School District