Suspension Rates Down in San Bernardino City Unified

The San Bernardino City Unified School District’s (SBCUSD) graduation rate increased to 79.9 percent and the suspension rate dropped to 6.4 percent, according to a release issued by the district. The total number of students suspended from SBCUSD schools dropped by 56 percent from the 2010-2011 school year to the 2014-2015 school year. The suspension rate for Hispanic students dropped by 4.4 percentage points and the African-American suspension rate dropped by 5.3 percentage points for the same time period. Suspensions for Special Education students also dropped by 7.7 percentage points over the same time span. Dr. Kennon Mitchell, assistant superintendent of Student Services, and Ray Culberson, director of Youth Services, credited the SBCUSD Board of Education with spearheading this change by directing staff to find more effective and positive means of behavior correction. According to SBCUSD school psychologists Suzy Johns and Jackie Patrick, through most of the 1990s and even into the early 2000s, school districts across California and the nation adopted a zero tolerance policy. Just as it sounds, this meant that almost every infraction by students, no matter how large or small, met with a referral or recommendation for suspension. While this policy did punish offenders, it did little to change their behavior in the long run. Also, it caused many students to miss significant amounts of classroom instruction. These students fell behind in their studies, were less engaged in school, and were more likely to act out again or even drop out of school altogether. SBCUSD implemented Positive Behavioral Interventions & Supports (PBiS) Districtwide in the 2011-2012 school year. The program’s main elements involve providing a welcoming and supportive environment for all students, teaching students the specific behavior expectations, and recognizing and reinforcing positive behavior. This allowed school staff to spend more time rewarding positive behaviors than punishing negative behaviors, which in turn led to a more positive school climate overall, where students wanted to behave well. “It’s not enough to reduce suspension numbers,” said Johns. “We want to reduce the behaviors that lead to suspension.” This does not mean there are no consequences when students make poor decisions. Instead of suspending students for minor infractions, students might receive additional instruction, counseling, be enrolled in an anger management class, or participate in other activities designed to modify a student’s behavior. “The Board was ahead of the curve on some of this,” Culberson said, noting that recent changes to California’s education laws require schools to try other means of correction for student misbehavior instead of suspensions unless the student presents a danger to themselves or others. More recently, SBCUSD has been piloting a Restorative Justice model. The philosophy behind restorative justice is that misbehaviors violate trust and relationships more so than rules. The goal is for students to understand how their negative behaviors hurt others, including family, friends, and classmates. The students are encouraged to make things right with those who have been harmed by their behavior. This may include a specific plan of action developed by the school or a youth court, with input from the victim, offender, and others affected by the behavior. The result is often stronger relationships and more empathy for others. The most important result of the reduction in suspensions is that more students are spending time in class, learning. When all students can focus more on the academic lessons and less on misbehaviors, all students benefit. “These accomplishments are a direct outcome of clear leadership and focus at every level, from the boardroom to the classroom,” SBCUSD Superintendent Dr. Dale Marsden said. “Our team is Making Hope Happen by ensuring our schools are engaging, students are focused, and positive interventions are in play to make certain more students are in school learning each day.”