[{"_1":2,"_93":-5,"_94":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6282221,"mediaKeyId","2597733-b5b60d793cc27c6f1e2e8dd344a0c575","parentId",2597733,"title","Northshore: incidents up but suspensions down as principals increase restorative administrative conferences","audioSeconds",5298,"startMs",2000,"endMs",5300000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2597733-b5b60d793cc27c6f1e2e8dd344a0c575&start=2&end=5300","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2597733-b5b60d793cc27c6f1e2e8dd344a0c575/thumbnail_2000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6282221/Washington/Northshore-incidents-up-but-suspensions-down-as-principals-increase-restorative-administrative-conferences","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282221-2082c13513c5eec05db52cb7c47bb17f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770523935&Signature=ay~c0JPpV6dtqBaLvG6lbmvn1PBXmlmPyLSRq2RvrUiBTK01YjZbRzRJ9hwntZzQa2fxKMckBwVJSX2PMJWliwUvGLwKp2uHPaMZ~s0jOKIRPcDMP9CmAVq-7UIGCUMhrO9E6YWnZgf69tFCfHAe7uxHD-VUw8vaePSBRsYI6QsjsmPbQyZYsXyKnFCgkPSj7MW24MWjmdbNNlvVXdBCcv1O4EElZAU1gBOPhUo7cHPg3-cxv-y9beYMpJvYErbcGoav0j2KwNBwGla-SLp2GoLQyJ2edNeLv7YilT~opzkO1tpVdxQN6tvrdDBOCxryFLvCvruDmdHNikN-3V-pjA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Northshore School District, Washington","date","2025-02-25T14:43:36Z","article","Northshore School District reported a rise in recorded disciplinary incidents this year alongside a substantial drop in suspensions, a pattern district staff attributed to increased use of administrative conferences and restorative practices by principals.

Dr. David Wellington, executive director of schools, told the board that overall incidents were up about 15% year‑over‑year, with middle school incidents up approximately 43% (roughly 300 additional students) while high‑school incidents declined about 21% and elementary incidents were essentially flat. He said the apparent increase in incidents does not translate into more suspensions: the district recorded 91 fewer suspended students compared with prior years and suspension totals were lower than in a comparable pre‑pandemic year (2018).

Shift in responses: Dr. Wellington said that administrative consequences — principal conferences and other restorative administrative actions — rose markedly. Administrative conferences increased roughly 92% districtwide (from 807 to 1,547 recorded incidents) and rose more than 260% in middle school in the most recent year. Where previously many incidents ended in detention or suspension, staff reported a larger share are now resolved through restorative administrative conversations with principals.

Effect and equity: presenters said the change in how incidents are handled affected students across demographic groups. Administrative conferences increased across groups (for example, staff reported increases of 223% for white students, 387% for Asian students, 250% for Black/African‑American students and 344% for Hispanic/Latinx students). Dr. Wellington framed the shift as an effort to reduce disproportionate suspension rates and to treat incidents as teachable moments.

What that means for practice: the board discussed the tradeoff of administrative time — principals are spending more hours on conferences — and asked staff to provide tables tracking whether administrative conferences reduce repeat incidents for the same students. Dr. Wellington said he would provide that analysis. He also emphasized that data represent individual students and that the district’s work is aimed at improving supports rather than “punishing” students.

Next steps: staff said they will provide more granular tables at board request, including tables on repeat administrative conferences by student and further breakdowns by school and incident type. The district will continue to track whether the shift to restorative administrative responses reduces recidivism and disproportionality over time.

","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Northshore School District Study Session 2/24/2025","oneSentenceSummary","District discipline data showed a 15% increase in recorded incidents driven by middle school, while suspensions declined; staff said principals are using administrative conferences and restorative approaches more often in place of detentions and suspensions.","taxTitle","Northshore School District, School Districts, Washington","taxId",13036,"location","Washington","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":44,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":50,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6282224,"Northshore says it has maintained school‑based therapists, highlights SEL programming and shortage of licensed clinicians",2716,2718000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2597733-b5b60d793cc27c6f1e2e8dd344a0c575&start=2&end=2718","/articles/6282224/Washington/Northshore-says-it-has-maintained-schoolbased-therapists-highlights-SEL-programming-and-shortage-of-licensed-clinicians","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282224-c00ef5638ba14a62412fb066168b3dd8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770524313&Signature=XYZNX9ZRzzqgoIB7uvtD9o~PgU3wbTod1B75KIILIOmEk7P540anuS0wQTxC3oityf1u173dRHowXkxY8rC9zDMPlaRh0dP40zjFm-eElNoc-ynZ8K9ofBPcW~H6jyoVFcpFFqOVsZ-rSaT~G0AVSVFM~rnXIRn2ntegITZ3n34LVGjyvNQMiyQ9Oft0MahPzgLEzDQhfy5S9FE1y0OzVBlK-fG9ZAL27SKzqYNZM8vDjYp-bw1TMebGjmwyssIiABaN6PGF9VUSMSKXhEMnT8hWwYhmQXQ6x-P4ohroBAmPd2ou85ZqeJhcG1AINYihsa6fePF8-Pj9U~05vDObgg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Northshore School District leaders told the board they maintained access to school‑based mental‑health therapists this school year and described a set of social‑emotional learning (SEL) programs and partnerships designed to support students.

Director of Student Services Rick Ferrell reported that the district has held therapist staffing steady rather than losing positions as other districts scaled back after ESSER funding ended. Ferrell said grant partnerships and local support — including EvergreenHealth, the Center for Human Services, the City of Kenmore and the City of Bothell — helped preserve services. The district said each school now has at least a part‑time therapist and that North Creek High School began the year with a full‑time therapist.

Staff framed the maintenance of therapist positions as a positive outcome given regional shortages of licensed clinicians. The district said the primary recruiting challenge is candidate supply, not only grant funds; some clinicians preferred to maintain private caseloads and therefore accepted part‑time district roles.

SEL programs and practical supports: district staff described curricula and resources in use across grade bands, including Kelso’s Choice and Second Step at elementary levels, CharacterStrong materials, Vector Solutions for behavior instruction and alternatives to suspension (courses taken in place of Saturday school or suspension), and the Racial and Educational Justice Department’s discrimination incident protocols and gender support plan. Staff also described efforts to expand family engagement, leadership and student supports such as the district’s student justice conference.

Student peer resources: board members asked whether the district leverages a student‑created Nexus Hub. Staff said they work with the student leader (Tanvi) to advertise and support that peer resource.

Ratios and standards: the district reiterated that counselor‑to‑student ratios remain above recommended targets but noted the American School Counselor Association guideline of about 1:250 as the aspirational standard. Board members flagged some reported ratios (for example, a counselor ratio listed at 1:300 or higher in some tables) and asked staff to provide benchmarks; staff confirmed 1:250 is the commonly cited recommendation.

Next steps: staff said they will continue pursuing grant partners, advertise peer resources, and use current funding flexibly (including Career & Technical or other program funds) to cover service shortfalls. They will also share more detailed ratio tables and data on repeat users of services at board request.

","District staff told the board that staffing and grant partnerships kept school‑based therapy services stable this year; staff described SEL curricula, community partners and challenges finding licensed clinicians.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":89,"_53":90,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":91,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":92,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6282228,"Northshore School District reports modest gains in reading and math, flags widening gaps by grade and subgroup","/articles/6282228/Washington/Northshore-School-District-reports-modest-gains-in-reading-and-math-flags-widening-gaps-by-grade-and-subgroup","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6282228-0b972798108dcdf28bc86f59a6d1c236/orig.mp4?Expires=1770521106&Signature=Q-rT~QfcKz2pEoONVGGDZQSXxkcQIfZFfops31SUk5QHLUZmQzxSnlCDCrVo0m7c~5S9TkQQhHqhQdEN9DYa3MTiQWE-phQHvtPOwg~gJZmmx9NmsPl51Lb9y8xNn20q9Sh6cJMbkXHEj~zbFVcRBgjBY3Fauj1WO366B7WSIQlCw9YDI-c7McFGaRup4NEuFW6hM92v~rn4r-y7R6VNrPl2k~SP01HAsdxSwV~q3lfyrxcPD0bWUb1gfoq7fS4WYNH6FHUs4K2i03rlZCTvDeWWElFkl6tqbgmxLVXDgyLWaP6xAo3pXw4HVPBzw2QeN6wS3IWsmkYDaijFjHxPDg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Northshore School District leaders reported modest districtwide improvements in reading and math during a study session on the district’s Strategic Plan Goal 3, which focuses on “growth for every student and eliminating opportunity and outcome gaps.” Superintendent Tully and Chief Academic Officer Dr. Obadiah Dunham led a review of I‑Ready and Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) results and said the data show small gains overall but persistent disparities by grade level and student group.

District staff said the district’s I‑Ready (K–8) and SBA (grades 3–10) data are consistent: some overall increases in the most recent year but widening differences that often originate in kindergarten and grow by middle school. Dr. Craig Foster, director of research and evaluation, noted that comparisons between I‑Ready and SBA show different trajectories — I‑Ready results can be more volatile because the tool is integrated with instruction, while SBA trends are flatter — but both show the same subgroup gaps.

Why it matters: staff said early disparities tend to widen as students age, especially at the elementary-to‑middle transition when instruction shifts from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.” The district identified kindergarten disparities that later grow in subsequent grades and highlighted that the percentage of students moving from “not meeting” to “meeting” grade‑level standards drops notably by grade 8.

What the data show: staff summarized three main findings. First, I‑Ready end‑of‑year data (K–8) included several year‑over‑year green‑highlighted gains in lower grades but some suspected sampling artifacts at grades 6–8; SBA reading and math data (grades 3–10) showed smaller but similar gains, including an increase from about 79% to about 80.4% meeting standard on one cross‑district reading comparison. Second, subgroup analyses showed consistently lower rates of meeting standards for students identified as English language learners (ELL), students receiving special education services, and low‑income students (the latter reported in SBA data). Third, gender differences appeared: females on average outperformed males in reading, while math showed a more mixed pattern with males slightly higher at some grades and parity at others.

District response and strategies: staff described a multi‑pronged approach centered on MTSS (multi‑tiered systems of support), curriculum alignment (K–5 adoption of the HMH reading curriculum and use of high‑leverage instructional practices), professional development, strengthened collaborative teams (guidance teams, PLCs), and targeted intervention blocks. Dr. Dunham said the district has been implementing MTSS infrastructure over several years and is now focusing on scaled components such as database‑driven decision making, continuum of supports and family engagement.

Middle‑school concern: presenters and board members stressed middle school as a priority. Staff pointed to declines in the proportion of students who move from below‑standard to meeting standard around grades 4–8 and noted that middle‑school models do not always preserve some elementary structures that help reading growth. The board asked staff to examine cohorts (for example, sixth graders’ elementary scores from 2016–17) to see whether changes in school structure correspond to performance shifts; staff agreed to explore that analysis in future reports.

Advanced courses and access: staff reported increases in algebra‑by‑grade‑8 completion and continued work to expand access to highly capable services across demographic groups. The board noted historical underrepresentation of low‑income students in highly capable programs and heard that outreach and identification practices have improved compared with several years ago.

Context and limits: presenters cautioned against overinterpreting small year‑to‑year changes and cited sampling differences between assessments; they also noted that some subgroup counts were too small to report (for example, non‑binary gender counts were suppressed). Dr. Foster noted measurement differences across tools and said using multiple sources helps validate patterns.

Looking ahead: staff said next steps include deeper classroom‑level inquiry to identify instructional drivers, continued MTSS refinement, additional middle‑school interventions (vocabulary and cross‑content language development were mentioned), and, where appropriate, curriculum pilots for math. Superintendent Tully and academic leaders committed to returning with more disaggregated cohort analyses in later strategic‑plan presentations.

","District staff presented year‑over‑year results from I‑Ready and Smarter Balanced assessments showing small districtwide gains and persistent disparities by race, income, English‑learner and special‑education status; staff emphasized MTSS implementation, curriculum alignment and targeted middle‑school supports.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Northshore: incidents up but suspensions down as principals increase restorative administrative conferences

Northshore says it has maintained school‑based therapists, highlights SEL programming and shortage of licensed clinicians

Northshore School District reports modest gains in reading and math, flags widening gaps by grade and subgroup