FBLE

Organization Management

EDL 289

Tony Aylsworth

Terese Jurgensen

Responding ~ Reviewing ~ Revising Student

Discipline Policies and Procedures

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1. Problem - During the Summer of 2020, civil unrest broke out across the country after the death of George Floyd.
2. This unrest also affected the Iowa City Community School District
3. Community groups, parents, and students made a public outcry against the district because of disproportionate data regarding students of color being disciplined, suspended and expelled from the district.
4. The school district responded through systemic change on multiple levels.
5. Amy Kortemeyer, Assistant Superintendent for district, invited me (Drake Student) to participate with the “PBIS and Rethinking School Discipline” work group addressing these issues.

Goals of the Work Group

Why

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Our data indicates that our approach is not meeting all students’ needs (as highlighted by the disproportionately in the experiences of our students of color).

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How

Form Work Group comprised of a variety of stakeholders

Share current reality by reviewing student behavior and student climate & culture data

Consider feedback from Work Group and other stakeholders through listening sessions, public forums and through a survey

Identify any language/aspect of the District’s Discipline Protocols and Procedures Administrative Manual (DPP) that you think are resulting in the office referral/suspension disproportionality

Focus on where the impact can be made - SEBH, CRT, RJ

Update the DPP and articulate the District’s social, emotional, behavioral (SEBH) approach through a document that can be shared with all stakeholders on the District’s website

What

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Create an inclusive and welcoming school environment for ALL students that includes eliminating the disproportionality in the District’s discipline data

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan - Executive Summary Page 2

Taken From: PBIS & Rethinking School Discipline Work Group

Root Cause - Why was this problem happening?

1. One of the needs of the Internal Team was that there were multiple issues that needed to be addressed in order to create systemic change in order to address the Root Cause of the disproportionality data.
2. These issues were diverse and the Internal Team needed a site where they could go to quickly access information and evidenced based practices to build the new Discipline Policies and Procedures Manual.
1. A key component for the distrust of the district was due to the fact that no one but the Administration could actually view this document as it was not given access to parents, students and teachers.
2. Additionally, there was not consensus or understanding across the district of ways to promote positive, proactive behaviors.

Team Components

1. Systemic Change Initiative:
1. Internal Team: Assistant Superintendent, Administrator of Student Services and Support, PBIS District Team Leader, Equity Coordinator, University of Iowa Graduate Student, University of Delaware Data Analyst. This team met weekly from September through June. Meetings will resume in August.
2. Community Team: Approximately 50 people across the district met 2 times a month from October to May to offer their voice, their knowledge and their expertise in updating the Districts Policy and Procedure Manual.
1. University of Iowa Professors
2. Parents
3. Students
4. Business Owners
5. Administrators
6. Teachers
7. Staff Members
3. Community Listening Opportunities: School Board, Administrative Council, Cultural Proficiency Team, Equity Advisory Committee, and the Work Group
4. Iowa City Community School Board were updated bi-monthly on the progress

Rethinking Student Discipline - Terese Jurgensen

Confidential Information for the purposes of the team have been removed from the document

Training and Information to Community Group

1. Evidenced Based Practices Shared with Community Group
1. Social Emotional Behavioral Health Practices
2. Culturally Responsive Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
3. Restorative Practices/Restorative Justice
4. Culturally Responsive Teaching

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• Community Group Meetings
• For each of these topics, during the meetings (1.5 hours) the group was divided into smaller work groups to discuss the information shared and to offer input, ideas or ask questions.
• The large group then came back together to discuss the issues and this information was documented
• Student Voice - The ICCSD brought together an outstanding group of students to participate - very powerful!

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Listening Summary

School Board, Administrative Council, Cultural Proficiency Team, Equity Advisory Committee, and the Work Group

Themes ~ Concerns ~ Ideas

Taken From: PBIS & Rethinking School Discipline Work Group

Discipline

Policy & Procedure Handbook

Both the Internal and Community Group worked hard on updating the DPP which is now in its final stages.

PBIS- Continuum of Response (Proximity, Prompt, Redirect, Re-teach, Provide Choice, Conference with Student, Restorative)

Behavior Definitions: Iowa Department of Education Problem Behavior Definitions

Actions Taken: Iowa Department of Education Actions Taken

Discipline Protocols and Procedures Handbook for Administrators

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Taken From: PBIS & Rethinking School Discipline Work Group

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Plan

Taken From: PBIS & Rethinking School Discipline Work Group

Conclusion

1. The Iowa City Community School District has a launched a 3 year journey (Quality Continuous Improvement) to rethink how they will create a positive, proactive environment that is inclusive for all students to learn, grow and thrive.
2. Chief goal was to reduce disproportionality in the district.
3. Professional Development has been and will continue to be a focus of this journey for administrators, teachers and staff members on the wide variety of topics outlined.
4. Transparency is a key part of this journey, and it was one that the district listened to and responded to from the stakeholders of the district.
5. Data - Systems - Practices was key.
6. It was an honor for me to be involved in this work.