The trustees finally voted to end out of school suspensions for our youngest students. My hands are shaking as I type this because it was a long road to get here but we actually won. I am going to rest now before we start watching the implementation process to ensure …
January 18, 2017
Final supporters
Dear Austin ISD Trustees:
Young children in Texas are being sent out of their classrooms in shockingly high numbers. During the 2013-14 school year, pre-K-5 students received 88,000+ out-of-school suspensions and 193,000+ in-school suspensions. In Austin ISD, elementary school students—some as young as 4—received 188 in-school suspensions and 655 out-of-school suspensions.
The disparities in AISD's suspension numbers are striking. While African-American students made up only 7% of the K-2 student population of AISD during 2013-2014, they accounted for 42% of out-of-school suspensions. In the same grades, 9% of students received special education services, but accounted for 31% of all out-of-school suspensions.
In addition to lost classroom learning time, children who are suspended, expelled, and sent to Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs are more likely than their peers to fall behind academically, experience future classroom exclusions, repeat grades, and have contact with the juvenile justice system.
Research also shows that the children who remain in a classroom when others are excluded do not benefit. In fact, schools with higher rates of suspensions and expulsions have lower rates of student achievement, more negative school climate ratings, and spend a disproportionately high amount of time on student discipline.
Most teachers want to keep their students in the classroom, but need support from their school administrators and the district to receive training in positive behavioral models and access to counselors and services that can help create a positive school climate.
The school boards in Houston and El Paso have already ended suspensions for PK-2nd grade students and Dallas ISD is discussing the issue as well. Austin ISD should join these districts and lead the movement in Texas to put the interests of young children first. Please do the right thing by crafting policy that eliminates classroom removals for young children, supports teacher training, and encourages a more fair school climate where all children can learn.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
October 27, 2016
September 25, 2016
We hit one hundred signatures today. It is exhausting to look at these disparities in our schools but seeing this many people acknowledge the problem helps me keep going.
Reached 100 supporters
September 23, 2016
65 Comments
I have two children in AISD and I'm appalled that young students are suspended. It is ineffective as a method of improving behavior and it's a burden on the families.
When autistic students do not receive appropriate services by credentialed and trained staff (which is currently the case) they are disproportionately punished for behavior that is a result of their unsupported disability. This is against the law. Students with disabilities have civil rights protections through the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act.
Sending young children to suspension is not a sound policy. Please spend our tax dollars training and supporting teachers with strategies to effectively manage students who are misbehaving and provide out-of-class support to children and families in need - to get kids back in class where they can learn.
AISD Trustees: you did the right thing by protecting recess, now do the right thing by eliminating suspensions for Pre-K- 2nd grade. The evidence shows it is best practice- there is no debate b/c there is no other evidence .... except the dropout rate that begins not long thereafter.
AISD should look into the Restorative Discipline/ Restorative Justice Model. Some wonderful things are happening in other cities in this great state. Exclusion should not be an option. Let's get creative Austin.
Thank you Texas Appleseed, always leading the charge to support and protect our endangered children.
I know you can come up with a plan to keep classrooms safe and while providing access to quality education.
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The trustees finally voted to end out of school suspensions for our youngest students. My hands are shaking as I type this because it was a long road to get here but we actually won. I am going to rest now before we start watching the implementation process to ensure …
January 18, 2017
Final supporters
Dear Austin ISD Trustees:
Young children in Texas are being sent out of their classrooms in shockingly high numbers. During the 2013-14 school year, pre-K-5 students received 88,000+ out-of-school suspensions and 193,000+ in-school suspensions. In Austin ISD, elementary school students—some as young as 4—received 188 in-school suspensions and 655 out-of-school suspensions.
The disparities in AISD's suspension numbers are striking. While African-American students made up only 7% of the K-2 student population of AISD during 2013-2014, they accounted for 42% of out-of-school suspensions. In the same grades, 9% of students received special education services, but accounted for 31% of all out-of-school suspensions.
In addition to lost classroom learning time, children who are suspended, expelled, and sent to Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs are more likely than their peers to fall behind academically, experience future classroom exclusions, repeat grades, and have contact with the juvenile justice system.
Research also shows that the children who remain in a classroom when others are excluded do not benefit. In fact, schools with higher rates of suspensions and expulsions have lower rates of student achievement, more negative school climate ratings, and spend a disproportionately high amount of time on student discipline.
Most teachers want to keep their students in the classroom, but need support from their school administrators and the district to receive training in positive behavioral models and access to counselors and services that can help create a positive school climate.
The school boards in Houston and El Paso have already ended suspensions for PK-2nd grade students and Dallas ISD is discussing the issue as well. Austin ISD should join these districts and lead the movement in Texas to put the interests of young children first. Please do the right thing by crafting policy that eliminates classroom removals for young children, supports teacher training, and encourages a more fair school climate where all children can learn.
Updates
Reached 250 supporters
October 27, 2016
September 25, 2016
We hit one hundred signatures today. It is exhausting to look at these disparities in our schools but seeing this many people acknowledge the problem helps me keep going.
Reached 100 supporters
September 23, 2016
65 Comments
I am an AISD teacher signing on behalf of my past, current, and, and future students that deserve to have their needs fully supported and invested in.
I have two children in AISD and I'm appalled that young students are suspended. It is ineffective as a method of improving behavior and it's a burden on the families.
When autistic students do not receive appropriate services by credentialed and trained staff (which is currently the case) they are disproportionately punished for behavior that is a result of their unsupported disability. This is against the law. Students with disabilities have civil rights protections through the Individuals with Disabilities in Education Act.
Sending young children to suspension is not a sound policy. Please spend our tax dollars training and supporting teachers with strategies to effectively manage students who are misbehaving and provide out-of-class support to children and families in need - to get kids back in class where they can learn.
AISD Trustees: you did the right thing by protecting recess, now do the right thing by eliminating suspensions for Pre-K- 2nd grade. The evidence shows it is best practice- there is no debate b/c there is no other evidence .... except the dropout rate that begins not long thereafter.
AISD should look into the Restorative Discipline/ Restorative Justice Model. Some wonderful things are happening in other cities in this great state. Exclusion should not be an option. Let's get creative Austin.
Thank you Texas Appleseed, always leading the charge to support and protect our endangered children.
I know you can come up with a plan to keep classrooms safe and while providing access to quality education.
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I am an AISD teacher signing on behalf of my past, current, and, and future students that deserve to have their needs fully supported and invested in.