The Shifting Tide of Zero Tolerance: School Administrator and School Safety Staff Views on the Blending of Zero Tolerance and Support-Oriented Policies

• In Event: Exclusionary School Discipline: Impacts and Alternative Policy Options

Abstract

In recent years, scholars and government agencies have advocated that schools lessen their use of zero-tolerance policies and focus more on support-oriented policies in hopes of improving school safety and reducing the school-to-prison pipeline. As a result, schools are moving toward a blended approach that incorporates both zero tolerance and support-oriented policies. In this study, we examine how school personnel perceive this shift, as well as their perceptions of the impact that the shift has had within their schools. To this end, we draw from the literature and interviews with school administrators and school safety staff on campuses in one of the largest school districts in the nation. We discuss insights gleaned from the review and interviews that can shed light on how schools navigate the balancing of zero tolerance and support-oriented policies.

Authors

• Nicole Collier, Florida State University

• Samantha Ladwig, Florida State University

• Andrea Montes Lindsey, Florida State University

• George Pesta, Florida State University

• Daniel Mears, Florida State University

• Sonja Siennick, Florida State University