OPRF committee holds reflective session on restorative justice, calls for clearer data and communication

The Oak Park–River Forest School District 200 Culture, Climate & Behavior Committee met April 16 in the boardroom at OPRF High School for a reflective “circle” on restorative justice and the district’s Behavioral Education Plan (BEP).

Committee members, students, teachers, parents and community volunteers described the session as a chance to look back at roughly a decade of changes (2015–2025) in how the district handles student behavior and discipline. While speakers offered a range of experiences, the meeting produced three recurring themes: broad support for restorative approaches in the building, a demand for clearer data and public communication, and continuing concern about whether some students are being removed from the school community rather than supported.

The committee convenor framed the discussion as a reflective exercise, noting restorative practice had been a prominent topic in the recent school-board campaign. Several participants said that publicity around the election had heightened public attention but did not change the committee’s immediate charge to assess how the BEP is working in practice.

Multiple students and teachers at the meeting said they had noticed fewer hall conflicts and more restorative conversations than earlier in the decade. “It felt like there was no uniform plan,” a current student said about earlier years, adding that more recent practice focuses on “why are you doing this behavior” rather than immediate punishment. Teachers, social workers and parents described the addition of school-based supports—including a behavior liaison and the PSS (pupil support services) team—as helping classroom management and follow-up with students.

Several community members and advocates urged the committee to examine discipline data closely and to publish clearer summaries for the public. One committee member, also a board member, said the district must do more to report short- and long-term outcomes and to correct misinformation circulating in the community. Participants asked for breakdowns by incident category and by student demographics so the public can assess whether the BEP is being applied equitably.

A recurring concern raised by some speakers was that previously excluded students—those who historically would have been removed from the school—still appear to be “disappearing” from the campus, prompting questions about whether the district is truly keeping more students in school or is shifting them to alternative placements. Community advocates asked for data showing how frequently students progress through BEP levels and whether students of color are disproportionately affected.

District staff and committee members repeatedly told the group that the BEP was developed to align with state law: speakers referenced Senate Bill 100 as the legislative basis for the district’s move toward less-punitive, more educational discipline strategies. Staff described the BEP as a living document that the committee and deans have been refining, and they encouraged committee members to continue bringing concrete scenarios and data for analysis.

Participants also recommended improving communication to families and the broader community about what restorative practice looks like in daily school operations. Suggestions included more student-facing outreach so the broader student body understands BEP procedures and additional classroom-level supports so teachers have consistent access to behavior liaisons.

The meeting closed after a short administrative vote to approve the committee minutes from March 12, 2025, and a motion to adjourn. No committee action was taken to change the BEP during this session; members described the meeting as a reflective, information-gathering exercise and a planning step toward future work on data and targeted policy tweaks.

Votes at a glance: - Approval of minutes (03/12/2025 Culture, Climate & Behavior Committee minutes): voice vote; motion moved and seconded in the meeting; outcome: approved (voice vote; names not specified). - Motion to adjourn: voice vote; outcome: approved (voice vote; names not specified).

Future steps mentioned in the meeting included producing more detailed discipline data for committee review, increasing public communication about the BEP and piloting or expanding classroom-level supports (behavior liaisons, PSS coordination).