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Committee advances restorative practices policy, requests waiver for immediate use
Summary
The committee forwarded a restorative practices policy (P5144.12) to the full board and recommended waiving the first and second readings so the district can implement the policy immediately; staff said the policy codifies practices already used in schools and cited a July 2025 state requirement.
The Bridgeport Policy & Personnel Committee on April 9 voted to forward a restorative practices policy (P5144.12) to the full Board of Education and requested the full board waive the usual first and second readings so the district can implement the policy immediately.
Committee members and administrators said the policy formalizes practices the district has used for years — emphasizing relationship building, accountability, community safety and competency development — and adds definitions and procedural guidance. Dr. Fajeux described the policy as a framework that prioritizes teaching social‑emotional learning, peer mediation, conflict resolution, self‑reflection and reintegration steps so students can repair harm and return to the classroom.
Why it matters: committee members noted the state requires a restorative practices policy by July 2025. Staff said codifying the approach will align discipline procedures with current practice and support professional learning for administrators and teachers.
Key points from discussion - The policy focuses on non‑violent or non‑criminal challenging behaviors and provides district guidance on restorative responses and alternatives to exclusionary discipline. - The draft includes a district yearly review and cites legal references and prior revision history (the draft notes an institutional date of Feb. 2018 and a March 2025 revision). Staff said the draft was prepared to conform to state statutes and recommended caution about changing statutory wording. - Committee members asked that any clarifications or changes identified during board review be folded into professional development and procedural documents so staff can implement the policy consistently.
Implementation and next steps The committee asked administration to post the finalized policy and its legal references on the district portal and to integrate restorative practice training into the PD schedule. The committee requested the full board consider waiving the first and second readings so implementation can begin immediately if the board approves the committee's recommendation.
Ending Committee members characterized the action as codifying long‑standing district practice and moving Bridgeport toward compliance with the state deadline.
