At least 37 states and the District of Columbia outline alternatives to suspension/expulsion or non-punitive supports that are either available or encouraged. Commonly cited approaches include community service, conflict resolution, counseling, peer mediation, positive behavioral interventions, restitution and restorative justice. This data point…

Information about the use of physical restraint, seclusion, and time-out rooms in Canadian schools has primarily been anecdotal (media reports and anonymous survey data) due to uneven and non-existent mandates for reporting, transparency and public accountability. The absence of clearly articulated mandates to provide written documentation and…

Wyoming is one of 19 states where the use of corporal punishment is legal in public schools. The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of Wyoming public school administrators regarding the legality and use of corporal punishment; uncover their views on the likely effectiveness of corporal punishment as a disciplinary option; and…

Tasked with ensuring that school environments are safe and orderly, school administrators spend an increasingly inordinate amount of time and energy on managing student discipline. Often, when students commit egregious behaviors or violate school policy, schools resort to out-of-school disciplinary consequences, i.e. suspension, expulsion, or…

Increasing evidence shows that punitive discipline is ineffective and detrimental. Using empowerment theory and the opportunity-to-learn conceptual framework, this literature review seeks to broaden school personnel's knowledge of alternative discipline interventions. Searching ERIC and JSTOR databases, we looked for English language, North…

The 2022 Legislature directed the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) to create an advisory workgroup with specific participants to report back on topics related to student isolation and seclusion. This legislative report provides a background on the workgroup, history of isolation and restraint, current practices in the state of…

Our purpose herein is to demonstrate how restorative justice continues to unfold globally and we explain how the use of a restorative justice ideology and intervention leads to a common alternative, not only in criminal justice institutions, but also within social agencies, such as elementary schools, and the related social support systems. We…

Few studies have evaluated ways to thin punishment schedules. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of using variable ratio (VR) schedules to thin the time-out schedule gradually. Warnings were used in some conditions to assist potentially with schedule thinning, but this analysis was limited. Participants were 3 young students who…

Problem behaviour continues to present a challenge for school-teachers worldwide. Since school-teachers around the globe have different conceptualisations of what constitutes problem behaviour, the purpose of this study was to examine the perceptions of Zimbabwean school-teachers about their perceived causes of problem behaviour among students in…

The document provides policy recommendations of the Council for Children with Behavioral Disorders (CCBD) regarding the use of seclusion procedures in schools. It includes: (a) an Introduction; (b) a Declaration of Principles; and (c) Recommendations Regarding the Use of Seclusion in School Settings. Explanation or elaboration of policy…

Arguments against the use of corporal punishment in schools are presented in the three publications collected here. "The Influence of Corporal Punishment on Learning: A Statistical Study," by Adah Maurer and James S. Wallerstein, examines the relationship between rates of corporal punishment use and noncompletion of high school in the 50 states.…

Points out that much research has shown that punishing incorrect behavior in children results in faster learning than does reinforcing correct behavior. Suggests nonphysical punishments for classroom use. (FL)

Provides an operational definition of punishment and presents 13 guidelines for the effective use of punishment in public schools. Explores the advantages and disadvantages of using punishment as part of a school's disciplinary procedures. (SB)

The purpose of this study was twofold: (1) to determine educators' attitudes toward corporal punishment and its alternatives in a variety of school settings throughout the Southwest; and (2) to explore the relationships between respondents' attitudes and such independent variables as dogmatism, sex, experience, level of education, job description,…

The article reviews and synthesizes judicial rulings related to corporal punishment, behavior management strategies, suspension and expulsion, and residential placement. Recent court decisions are discussed; issues related to behaviorally disordered students' rights are examined; and recommendations for practice are presented. (Author/JW)