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District reports drops in suspensions and absenteeism after PBIS, restorative practices rollout
Summary
Lawndale district leaders reported declines in suspensions, chronic absenteeism and office referrals and outlined tiered PBIS and restorative practices, describing data tools and next steps including certification as external reviewers and plans to expand district‑level data review.
Lawndale Elementary School District officials presented a districtwide update on positive behavioral interventions and supports (PBIS) and restorative practices at the board meeting on Feb. 20, reporting improvements in attendance and discipline metrics and laying out next steps to standardize data collection.
Director of Student Support Services Alberto Paredes and district social worker Dr. Maria Ruelas described a three‑tier approach — school‑wide expectations (Tier 1), targeted supports such as check‑in/check‑out (Tier 2) and intensive interventions including functional behavior assessments and mental‑health referrals (Tier 3) — and explained how restorative circles and mediation aim to reduce punitive discipline.
Paredes said the district is using behavior data to guide decisions and is pushing for consistent reporting through the Incidents Plus platform and PowerSchool attendance tracking. "PBIS is an approach where we set clear school wide expectations for behavior, and we address challenges constructively," Paredes said.
Dr. Ruelas described restorative practices as a way to "rebuild any issue that has happened" and to hold students accountable while reducing suspensions. She said restorative circles, mediation and facilitated discussions seek resolution without defaulting immediately to suspension.
District presenters shared comparative figures for February year‑over‑year: average daily attendance (ADA) rose to 96.92% from 96.00% (an increase of 0.92 percentage points), chronic absenteeism declined by 4 percentage points, suspensions fell by 12%, and office discipline referrals dropped from 1,156 to 887 (a decrease of 269 referrals). The presenters cautioned that discipline reporting has not always been consistent across sites and said the district is working to standardize entries in Incidents Plus.
Paredes and Dr. Ruelas said the district recently earned certification as Authorized California External Reviewers (ACERS) to audit PBIS implementation and will continue professional development with external partners (Trajectory of Hope and Lehi PBIS). They described plans to increase district‑level involvement in monthly school PBIS data reviews and to adopt consistent tracking tools.
Board members responded positively to the data. Trustee Anne Phillips noted that the reported 23% reduction in office discipline referrals (depending on calculation) is substantial and praised the focus on relationships and reduced out‑of‑class time for students. Trustee Kathy Burris and Trustee Eddie Morales thanked social workers and school staff for their role in restoring students to instruction.
Clarifying details from the presentation: ADA reported at 96.92% (vs. 96.00% prior year for same period); chronic absenteeism down 4% (absolute percentage points not otherwise specified); suspensions down 12%; office discipline referrals 887 vs. 1,156 (drop of 269); district acknowledged inconsistent reporting and is prioritizing standardization of data entry and training on Incidents Plus and PowerSchool.
No formal board action was required; the presentation was informational, with staff inviting follow‑up questions and noting plans for further training and district‑level data review.
