Lynchburg City Schools presents data showing lower repeat suspensions, officials say gains but note academic and attendance challenges

Lynchburg City Schools officials presented an update on the district's alternative-education system, RESTORE, saying the program has reduced repeat suspensions and produced measurable academic gains for many students but continues to face challenges with chronic absenteeism and students in remote instruction.

The presentation Wednesday came during new business at a school-board meeting, where Dr. Brown, presenter for the RESTORE update, framed the program as an effort to "get upstream" of student behavioral problems rather than simply respond to incidents. "We're not trying to address issues as they come to us and just save the kids that are in the river and drowning. We're trying to get upstream, address problems at its root, be proactive, and be innovative," he said.

School staff described RESTORE as a multi-tiered system that includes a suspension center, restorative academies for elementary and secondary students and more intensive Tier 3 programs such as TAP and Fort Hill Community School. Dr. Chris Glover, principal at Fort Hill, told the board that many alternative-education students move across multiple placements (base school, Fort Hill, Turning Point Academy, remote learning), which…