Restorative JusticeNovember 19, 2015

Content of Presentation

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• Review of Last Presentation• Our Definition of Restorative Justice• Why Implement Restorative Justice in Orange County Public Schools?

• Present Day and the Future of Restorative Justice in OCPS• Summer Training and Support to Schools• Collaborative Website-School Support• Samples Restorative Justice Circles in OCPS

What is Restorative Justice?

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Restorative practices in schools are fundamentally about building school culture based on a set of restorative values that are established and co-created by all members of the school community. When a conflict occurs, it is addressed by rebuilding damaged relationships and repairing harm directly to the individuals and communities who have been harmed.

What is Restorative Justice?

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In Orange County Public Schools, the process:

• focuses on relationships (restores/repairs)• gives voice to the person harmed and the person who caused the

harm • engages in collaborative problem-solving• enhances personal responsibility• empowers change and growth

Why Implement RJ in OCPS?• Higher suspension rates result in lower academic achievement and

standardized test scores, even when controlling for factors such as race and socioeconomic status (Davis et al, 1994; Mendez, et al., 2003; Skiba 2006)

• Suspended/expelled students are more likely to be held back, not graduate, become involved in the justice system, have additional suspensions, expulsions and dropouts (Fabelo et al, 2011; Osher, 2010; Balfanz and Boccanfuso, 2007; Skiba and Rausch, 2006)

• Black students are likely to be suspended and expelled for minor infractions, are suspended at two to three times the rate of white peers, especially among those with learning disabilities, and are four times more likely to be placed in correctional facilities (Advancement Project, 2005; Losen and Martinez, 2012; Fabelo et al. 2011; NAACP, 2005; Poe-Yamagata and Jones, 2000)

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Why Implement RJ in OCPS

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Black54%Hispanic

31%

White15%

High School

Black65%

Hispanic26%

White9%

Middle School

2014-2015 Suspension Data

Restorative Justice Timeline

RJ 3-day rigorous professional development for all middle schools

Develop RJ collaborative site for middle schools

RJ Roll Out

RJ ongoing professional development, support and monitoring

Phase 2 planning: High School (implementation next year)

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Restorative Justice Professional Development

228 district administrators and school teams (administration and faculty from 38 middle schools) received 3-day trainings in July to learn how to implement restorative justice at their individual sites

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Restorative Justice Professional Development

• Summer Training conducted by Dr. Martha (Mara) Schiff• Associate Professor in the School of Criminology and Criminal

Justice at Florida Atlantic University and President of PeaceWorksConsulting, Inc.

• Over 30 years’ experience in criminal and juvenile justice research, planning, evaluation, training and teaching, focusing on restorative community and justice

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Restorative Justice Professional Development

RJ Trainers• Ms. LaVonne Walker, Indian River County• Mr. Keith Wright, Palm Beach School District• Mrs. Dumosire Wright, Palm Beach School District

RJ Cultural Diversity Presenters• Van P. Williams (Palm Beach State College)• Barbara Cheives (Converge Associates Consulting)

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Technical Assistance by Dr. Schiff• Helped develop a district strategic plan • Assisted us in learning how to measure progress, identify obstacles,

re-evaluate as necessary.• Helped develop procedures and guidelines for implementation• Taught us how to troubleshoot and problem solve implementation

issues as they arise• Will be observing Restorative Justice circle facilitation• Will facilitate monthly or quarterly group meetings as needed

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District Support to the Schools• Area Administrators developed guidelines to determine when

to assign PASS or OSS days• Training with circles will be ongoing• Monthly reports will be generated based on circles• RJ Teams at schools will have quarterly meetings with Area

Administrators• MAO will monitor school progress and offer support

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Restorative Justice Collaborative Site

Restorative Justice (RJ) Schools Toolkit:• RJ Implementation Power Points• Examples of Restorative Circles Scripts• Examples of Affective Questions & Statements to be used in

Restorative Chats or Conference Preparation• Restorative Justice Conference Facilitator Script-

Acknowledged Harm/Accepted Responsibility

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Restorative Justice Collaborative Site

http://collaboration.ocps.net/team/mao/restorejustice

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CirclesCommunity Building (Level 1)

Low-level Discipline, Conflicts, Problems

(addressed within the classroom) –(Level 2)

Serious Discipline Matters (addressed outside the classroom) –

(Level 3)

Making personal connections

Restorative Inquiry(one-to-one conversations during class or

assigned after-school “detention” within the classroom, using restorative questions)

Resolution Circles

Restorative Conversations(“What’s up?”) Collaborative Problem-solving Restorative Conferences (includes student,

family and other key people

Community Circles: Classrooms, TeamsOther small groups:

With facultyWith parents

Peer Mediation Restorative Inquiry used for in-school suspension

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Types of Circles

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3337

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Types of Circles by Percentage

Community Relationship Building Low-Level Discipline Serious Discipline

Areas of Focus for Year One

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• Insubordination• 1H Insubordination• 2F Insubordination/Open

Defiance• 3H Gross

Insubordination/Open Defiance

• Disrespect• 1D Disrespect• 2B Disrespect• 3D Disrespect

• Fighting• 2C Fighting• 3F Fighting

Infractions Data

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30

15

39

24

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

45

1D - Disrespect 1H - Insubordination

Level 1

20142015

3 RJ Circles

331

238

466

281

218

357

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

2B - Disrespect 2C - Fighting 2F - Insubord/Defiant

Level 2

20142015

Infractions Data

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7 RJ Circles 25 RJ

Circles

4 RJ Circles

214

440

308

160

416

333

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

3D - Disrespect 3F - Fighting 3H - Gross Insubord/OpenDefiant

Level 3

20142015

Infractions Data

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9 RJ Circles

10 RJ Circles

First Quarter Middle SchoolTotal Number of OSS Days

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4,564

3,830

3,400

3,600

3,800

4,000

4,200

4,400

4,600

4,800

# of Suspension Days

2014-2015

2015-2016

Apopka Middle School

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Level 3 – Serious Discipline Matters

Bridgewater Middle School

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Introduction of Circles and Level 1 – Community Circle, Establishing Classroom Ground Rules

Legacy Middle School

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Level 1 – Community Circle with possible peer facilitators

Liberty Middle School

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Level 2 – Low-level Discipline, Conflicts, Problems

Lockhart Middle School

Level 3 – Serious Discipline Matters Circle in PASS

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Maitland Middle School

Level 2 – Discipline/Conflict Problem

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Meadowoods Middle School

Level 2 –Discipline/Conflict Problem

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Memorial Middle School

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Level 1 – Community Circle of Faculty and Staff

Level 1 – Community Circle of Students

Westridge Middle School

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Level 2 – Low-Level Circle with Students

Wolf Lake Middle School

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Level 2 – Low-Level Circle with Students

When Restorative Justice works, schools will . . .

• Develop emotional literacy, conflict resolution skills, truth recognition, accountability, responsibility

• Improve behavior, attendance, learning, teaching• Increase empathy, happiness, positive life skills• Reduce exclusions, detentions, conflict, bullying, suspensions

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ConclusionDiscipline is a long-term process that leads children to become responsible. Punishment often has negative side effects, but restorative justice/practice promotes values and principles that are restorative (healing), inclusive and collaborative while giving voice to all parties who are a part of the community.

Debra Gore, OCPS Employee

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Superintendent’s Comments

School Board Questions and Discussion

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