Student Discipline Reporting

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Jeff HodgesProgram Specialist, Safe and Drug-Free Schools

Marilyn WatsonProgram Manager, Safe and Drug-Free Schools

U.S. Departments of Justice and EducationDear Colleague Letter

Explains nondiscrimination requirements under Titles IV and VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and reminds schools of their legal obligations to administer student discipline without discriminating on the basis of race, color or national origin

Explains what OCR will do when it receives a complaint or begins a compliance review related to discrimination in the administration of student discipline, and outlines the legal framework and approach OCR will follow in its investigation

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U.S. Departments of Justice and EducationDear Colleague Letter

Urges school districts to evaluate their discipline policies, practices and procedures to ensure they are fair and applied equally to all students

Provides recommendations to assist schools in the fair and equitable administration of student discipline

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What is the New Discipline Matrix• Serves as a guidance tool for school systems

• May be aligned with student codes of conduct

• Discipline Matrix includes:oNew Discipline Incident Types (effective 2012-2013)oUpdated definitions to provide more clarityo Specific examples o Three-tiered discipline incident severity levels

(effective 2013-2014)

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Rationale•Improve Data Accuracy and Reliability

•Improve Transparency in Data Reporting

•Address Concerns about the Disproportionate Use of Discipline Actions

•Improve Ambiguous Categorical Definitions and the Correlation Between Discipline Incidents and Discipline Actions

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Data Reporting Resources• Discipline Matrix Rationale

• Discipline Matrix

• Discipline Matrix Quick Reference Guide

• New Guidelines for Reporting Discipline Data Webinar

http://www.gadoe.org/Curriculum-Instruction-and-Assessment/Curriculum-and-Instruction/Pages/Student-

Discipline.aspx

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Implementation Timeline• Fall 2012:

– Request for comments from Superintendents on new discipline matrix

– Training / Webinar – Archived online for future reference

• Spring 2013: – Mandatory Reporting: New incidents and actions for 2012-2013

school year– Optional Reporting: Severity levels for the 2012-2013 school year

• Summer 2013: – RESA and/or site-based training session on severity levels– Data Collections Conference Training and Discussion

• Fall 2013:– Full implementation of severity levels

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Discipline Action Type

• Detention- Disciplinary action consisting of the assignment of students to a certain area of the school outside of regular school hours (before school, after school, on a non-school day) for two for two days or the equivalent hoursdays or the equivalent hours. – Does not include lunch-based detention or any single day

detention.

– May include Saturday school detention so long as the single Saturday school detention is the equivalent to two regular day detention periods.

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Updated Discipline Action Type

ISS- Temporary removal of a student from his or her regular classroom(s) for at least half a school dayfor at least half a school day. Student remains under the direct supervision of school personnel.  (Direct supervision means school personnel are physically in the same location as students under their supervision.)

– Provisions for Special Education / IEPs

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Discipline Incident Types• Other - Attendance-Related (30)

Repeated or excessive unexcused absences or tardies; including failure to report to class, skipping class, leaving school without authorization, or failure to comply with disciplinary sanctions.

• Other - Dress Code Violation (31)

Violation of school dress code that includes standards for appropriate school attire.

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Discipline Incident Types• Other - Student Incivility (33)-

Insubordination or disrespect to staff members or other students; Includes but is not limited to refusal to follow school staff member instructions, use of vulgar or inappropriate language, and misrepresentation of the truth.

• Other - Possession of Unapproved Items (34)- The use or possession of any unauthorized item disruptive to the school environment.

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Discipline Incident Types• Academic Dishonesty (32)

Receiving or providing unauthorized assistance on classroom assessments and assignments.

• Gang-Related (35)

Any group of three or more persons with a common name or common identifying signs, symbols, tattoos, graffiti, or attire which engage in criminal gang activity (O.C.G.A. § 16-15-3).

• Repeated Offense (36)

Collection of offenses not previously assigned a state reportable action that occurs on a single or across multiple school days that leads to a state reportable disciplinary action.

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Reporting “Other” Incidents• Reporting “Other” Incidents– Treated the same as “Other Incident” (24) and only reported Treated the same as “Other Incident” (24) and only reported

with a state reportable action. with a state reportable action.

– Should not increase number of reported incidents as these incidents were reported in prior years as incident type 24 and a state reported action.

• Reporting Non-“Other” Incidents– Academic Dishonesty (32), Gang-Related, (35) and Repeated

Offenses (36), should be treated as state reportable incidents regardless of action type .

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Repeated Offenses vs. Continuation of Incident

• Repeated Offenses– Collection of offenses not previously assigned a state

reportable action that occurs on a single or across multiple school days that leads to a state reportable disciplinary action.

– Repeated offenses under same incident type should be reported at Level 3 if guidance provided. If no guidance then report under Repeated Offenses.

• Continuation of Incidents– Multiple actions for a single incident

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Discipline Reporting and USCO• USCO is Separate Collection from Student Discipline– Focuses primarily on violent crimes.

– USCO offenses must occur on school property or at a school-sponsored activity.

– USCO data is based on official tribunals, hearings conducted by a disciplinary hearing officer, and official actions of the local board of education (instead of court proceedings).

– Definitions are different • Battery (Student Discipline) vs. Aggravated Battery (USCO)

• Robbery (Student Discipline) vs. Armed Robbery (USCO)

• Threat / Intimidation (Student Discipline) vs. Terroristic Threat (USCO)

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USCO Offenses• Aggravated BatteryAggravated Battery

• Aggravated Child Molestation

• Aggravated Sexual Battery

• Aggravated Sodomy

• Armed RobberyArmed Robbery

• ArsonArson

• Kidnapping

• Murder

• Rape

• Voluntary Manslaughter

• Non-felony Drugs*

• Felony Drugs*

• Felony Weapons*

• Terroristic Threats*

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GaDOE USCO Webpagehttp://www.gadoe.org/AYP/Pages/USCO.aspx

Response to Questions / Clarification

• Intentional vs. Unintentional– Local decision on intent.

• Questions on Public Displays of Affection (PDA)– Removed from Level 1 Sexual Offenses

• Questions Thus Far……

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Local Code Mapping

Examples and discussion…

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Disorderly Conduct

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Other - Student Incivility

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Other - Attendance Related

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Other – Possession of Unapproved Items

• Possession/use electronic or communication device

• Use/display of cell phone or pager

• Possession/use/exchange of items inappropriate for school

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Reporting Examples

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Example #1

• A student uses a school computer to change his grade in Language Arts from an F to C. How would you code this incident??– Student Incivility

– Computer Trespassing

– Academic Dishonesty

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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Example #2

• A student is referred to the office for making a sexually explicit comment about a girl’s breast size. How would you code this incident??– Sexual Offenses

– Sexual Harassment

– Disorderly Conduct

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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– Level 1

– Level 2

– Level 3

Example #2 – v2

• A student is referred to the office for making a sexually explicit comment about a girl’s breast size and touches them. How would you code this incident??– Sexual Offenses

– Sexual Harassment

– Disorderly Conduct

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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– Level 1

– Level 2

– Level 3

Example #3

• A student brings a knife to school and uses it to steal another student’s lunch. How would you code this incident?? – Threat / Intimidation

– Robbery

–Weapon - Knife

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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This would be coded as an USCO violation:

Armed Robbery

Example #4

• A student enters a locked classroom and steals a class calculator (worth approx. $10.00). How would you code this incident??– Larceny / Theft

– Breaking and Entering / Burglary

– Robbery

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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Example #4 v2

• A student enters a unlocked classroom and steals a class calculator (worth approx. $10.00). How would you code this incident??– Larceny / Theft

– Breaking and Entering / Burglary

– Robbery

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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Example #5• A student takes Ritalin for ADHD. His medication is kept at

his school and the school nurse distributes the medicine to him. Today his Mother put his medication in his book bag, because he is going to spend the night with a friend. The medication falls out of his book bag. How would you code this incident??

– Student Incivility

– Disorderly Conduct

– Drugs – Except Alcohol and Tobacco

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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– Level 1

– Level 2

– Level 3

Example #5 v2• A student takes Ritalin for ADHD. His medication is kept at

his school and the school nurse distributes the medicine to him. Today his Mother put his medication in his book bag, because he is going to spend the night with a friend. The medication falls out of his book bag and he gives one of the pills to his friend. How would you code this incident??

– Student Incivility

– Disorderly Conduct

– Drugs – Except Alcohol and Tobacco

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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– Level 1

– Level 2

– Level 3

Example #6

• A student sent to the office for verbally threatening harm to another student for a second time this semester. How would you code this incident?– Threat & Intimidation

– Disorderly Conduct

– Bullying

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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Example #6 v2

• A student sent to the office for verbally threatening harm to another student for a third or fourth time this semester. How would you code this incident?– Threat & Intimidation

– Disorderly Conduct

– Bullying

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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Example #7

• A student brings a lighter to school buried within his pocket and another student sees it and tells the teacher. How is this incident coded??– Arson

–Weapon - Other

– Possession of Unapproved Item

– Non-State Reportable Offense

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Uses of Discipline Data

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Uses of Discipline Data

• Accountability – CCRPI– School Climate Rating• Weighted Suspension Rate

• Prediction models and data audits

• CSPR Annual Disciplinary Reports

• Legislative Reporting

• External Requests for Data

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School Climate Star Rating Components: Student Discipline

• Any # of ISS: 0.50 pts.

• 1 – 2 OSS: 1.00 pts.

• 3 – 4 OSS: 3.00 pts.

• 5 - 9 OSS: 5.00 pts.

• 10+ OSS 7.00 pts.

• Alternative School Assignment 6.00 pts. (for disciplinary reasons only)

• Expulsion 7.00 pts.

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QUESTIONS??

Marilyn Watson: mawatson@doe.k12.ga.us

Jeff Hodges: jhodges@doe.k12.ga.us

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