There are three finalists being considered for Boston Public Schools next superintendent. As the candidates complete their public interviews this week, one of the questions we ought to be asking is: “How will you approach discipline to reduce school suspensions and eliminate racial disparities in how schools handle kids with behavior challenges?” It’s an urgent question and one that is critical to closing the achievement gap for children of color.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, some 2.7 million kids were suspended from school (2015-2016) for behavior problems, and research shows that students with just one suspension are twice as likely to drop out of school. BPS has a relatively low suspension rate — 2.1% (below the state average of 2.9%) — but that still means more than 1,000 students were removed from school for discipline, and there continue to be disparities between suspension rates of public charter schools and district schools.
It’s essential that the next BPS superintendent be fluent in and supportive of modern approaches to discipline that are based on what we know about brain development. Collaborative Problem Solving, known as CPS, is one example of an evidence-based approach to school discipline. Restorative practices are another.