Schools implementing restorative justice report decreases in exclusionary discipline such as suspensions and expulsions¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2016 · not yet checked against its sources · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? Empirical studies reviewed report decreases in exclusionary discipline and harmful behavior after RJ implementation, with large percentage drops in suspensions reported in several sites. → Fronius 2016

Evidence¶

Fronius 2016¶

Fronius, Persson, Guckenburg, Hurley, & Petrosino. (2016). Restorative Justice in U.S. Schools: A Research Review. WestEd. https://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED596786

q2 · i? · review · r2

Narrative review of empirical studies of RJ in U.S. schools. The review reports that all reviewed studies found decreases in exclusionary discipline, citing Armour (2013): an "84-percent drop in out-of-school suspensions" and a 19-percent drop in all suspensions in one Texas school's first RJ year.

"For example, Armour (2013) reports an 84-percent drop in out-of-school suspensions among sixth graders in one Texas school during the first year RJ was introduced, and a 19-percent drop in all suspensions."

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Teachers who implemented restorative justice frequently had better student relationships and issued fewer referrals, with preliminary indications of reduced racial discipline gaps that were not fully eliminated — related
• Experts report reduced suspensions and expulsions and improved school climate as RJ implementation successes — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• In Maryland, disciplinary removals (out-of-school suspensions and expulsions) declined over the past 10 years while discipline disparities persisted — related
• Schools with school resource officers may have higher rates of exclusionary discipline, including a reported 21 percent increase in incidents — related
• Frequent RJ use by teachers shows preliminary indications of reducing the racial discipline gap, though disparities persist — related
• California's shift to restorative and social-emotional approaches coincided with a 33.6% decline in suspensions and 40.4% decline in expulsions (2011-2016) while schools became safer — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• School climate data supported changes to the three schools' discipline systems — related
• Exclusionary discipline harms students and disproportionately affects students of color, so tracking suspension data can promote positive interventions — related
• Restorative practices reduce exclusionary discipline and misbehavior and improve school climate, safety, and achievement, though implementation requires sustained investment — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Shifting to restorative practices reduced exclusionary discipline and its racial disparities while improving climate and achievement — possibly the same claim (merge candidate)
• Exclusionary discipline disproportionately removes students of color and students with disabilities from school — related
• Los Padillas shifted away from exclusionary discipline, with no in- or out-of-school suspensions in 2023–24, and retained nearly all its teachers over 5 years — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Suspension is associated with long-term harms including higher risk of grade retention, dropout, and juvenile justice involvement — related
• SEL programs cannot produce meaningful long-term growth in authoritarian, punitive, or exclusionary environments; restorative practices are needed — related
• RJ serves a preventative purpose by building students' social and emotional skills, not only responding to offenses — related
• Restorative practices outcomes follow a slow trajectory: quick low-level successes after training, high-level success in three to five years or more — related
• National school crime indicators show schools became safer as exclusionary discipline reductions were underway, with 79% of schools recording incidents in 2015-16 versus 85-89% in prior years — related
• RJ implementation is associated with improved attendance, including lower chronic absenteeism relative to non-RJ schools — related
• School exclusionary policies paradoxically worsen dropout, delinquency, and achievement — related
• Programs offering the highest levels of active student participation are those aimed at generally improving the school environment (Restorative Justice and SEHER), suggesting broad, systemic scope favors student decision-making roles — related