RealClearEducation Discusses Discipline Reform, Featuring Turnaround and Houston Elementary School

Abel McDaniels and Erin Roth’s RealClearEducation article, Education Reform Must Include Discipline Reform, discusses why policymakers should look to District of Columbia Public Schools (DCPS) when considering discipline reform.

Turnaround for Children was cited as one of the organizations that partners with DPCS schools to promote alternative discipline strategies. Highlighting the work Turnaround has done with Principal Rembert Seaward, at partner school Houston Elementary, an excerpt reads:

“Some schools have decided to reduce or eliminate suspensions on their own, and they are seeing promising results. At Houston Elementary School in Ward 7, Principal Rembert Seaward adopted mindfulness training and contracted with Turnaround for Children, an organization that supports student development and achievement in high-poverty schools. Staff were trained in trauma-informed teaching and able to consult with a mental health provider…Multiple organizations that partner with DC schools and students have testified to the continued desire and need for more resources and support for alternative discipline strategies.”

The article further suggests that policy should provide clear guidelines and parameters on when it is appropriate to remove students from school.

The full article can be read here.