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USD 231 reports declines in suspensions after districtwide SEL, BIST and cell‑phone policy changes
Summary
District staff said implementation of Second Step, BIST and a stricter cell‑phone policy coincided with declines in suspensions and changes in teacher referral patterns; high‑school suspensions dropped sharply and teacher‑student conferences rose as staff shifted to classroom‑level responses.
District staff told the Board of Education Monday that a combination of social‑emotional learning curriculum (Second Step), the Behavior Intervention Support Team framework (BIST), universal behavior screening and a stricter cell‑phone policy corresponded with measurable declines in student suspensions and behavioral incidents.
Dan (coordinator of social‑emotional learning) and other staff presented data and context showing an overall decrease in district suspensions over two school years. Dan said in‑school suspensions (ISS) decreased roughly 18 percent and out‑of‑school suspensions (OSS) decreased about 5 percent. He also highlighted high‑school reductions: the high school reported a 40 percent drop in suspensions. The district reported other shifts in behavior data: teacher referrals more than doubled (from about 200 to over 500), and teacher‑student conferences recorded in PowerSchool increased dramatically (from 28 to 373), which administrators interpreted as teachers having more classroom‑level conversations and documentation in response to incidents.
Dan attributed improvements to multiple efforts: clearer PowerSchool data entry protocols, district‑wide Second Step implementation in K–8 and the BIST rollout with a three‑day teacher training for about 140 teachers. He said the district also monitors fidelity checks for Second Step lessons and that universal behavior screening will begin each year with teacher teams.
Trustees asked specifically about the cell‑phone policy put into effect last year; staff said the policy reduced serious incidents and led to more teacher‑level interventions. District staff noted the policy appeared to reduce the volume of severe violations at the high school and that building administrators reported the policy was workable under current enforcement practices.
Rhonda Wheedle, a district math specialist, described building‑level intervention practices: preemptive family packets (sent at the beginning of the year with games and activities), frequent short assessments, targeted intervention groups, early‑release 1‑on‑1 work, and coordination among classroom teachers, math specialists and interventionists. Wheedle said the district attempts to "jump ahead of the game" so students do not fall behind.
Sources: On‑record presentation and slides by Dan (SEL coordinator) and supporting staff at the USD 231 Board of Education meeting.
