Course Details

This course will serve as the capstone for the certificate. It will examine in-depth three to four major themes in the field of school discipline from the perspectives of law, policy and practice. The focus will be on analyzing "best practice" examples as a means to address the challenges relating to fundamental reform of school discipline practices. Potential themes to be addressed include: (1) racial inequities in school discipline; (2) the interlinkages between special education and school discipline; (3) the relationship between the school and the juvenile/criminal justice system; and (4) professional development to support teachers and other school stakeholders. As part of this course, participants will develop an action plan for school discipline reform in their respective settings. They will determine how potential system-wide barriers will be addressed (e.g., resources for teaming, support for MTSS planning, implementation and evaluation, teaming, leadership/administrative support, teacher buy-in and support, community engagement).

Prerequisites: LAW 683 (Legal Issues in School Discipline) and LAW 684
(System Consultation in School Discipline Reform)