Dorchester 02 unveils new K–12 discipline matrix, will pilot first semester and move to Simple Discipline coding

Dorchester School District Two leaders presented a new, districtwide discipline matrix at the June 23, 2025 board meeting, saying the tool is designed to make consequences and coding more consistent across elementary, middle and high schools.

Directors of secondary and elementary education, Maurice Cannon and Carrie Ball Hodge, told trustees the matrix was developed after a needs assessment, reviews of neighboring districts, and collaboration with school teams. The presenters said the matrix maps infractions onto a three-stage progression of responses to support transparency, fairness and alignment with the district’s student code of conduct.

"If they see that continuum, then hopefully, that'll allow them to understand our desire to help them change behaviors," Director Maurice Cannon said, describing the goals of equity, transparency and accountability that guided the work.

District staff said elementary schools in particular lacked consistent coding and that standardizing offense categories (for example, coding "inappropriate language" rather than a catchall "disrespect") will make interventions and data analysis more actionable. Staff described a multi-step development process: research into neighboring districts (Berkeley and Charleston counties), soft-matrix pilots at school level, principal and administrator feedback at a February board advance, and district-level legal and administrative review.

Administrators said next steps include targeted professional development for principals and teachers, development of action plans at each school, and stakeholder communications during the first week of the 2025–26 school year. The presenters said they would present finalized plans to assistant principals and principals first, then to teachers.

Implementation details the presenters gave at the meeting included a one-semester pilot period, after which the district will review coding fidelity and the matrix’s effectiveness and adjust consequences or codes as needed. The district also announced it will transition away from its current "educator's handbook" coding system and adopt the Simple Discipline platform to standardize incident coding and simplify data extraction.

"We're going to try this first semester, and, of course, we're going to come back and evaluate where we are," Carrie Ball Hodge said. "If we need to come back, revisit, and change our process or change the consequence, we are going to do that."

Board members praised the work for clarity and consistency; one board member said the tool would help make expectations and consequences clear to students and families and reduce administrator workload.

Administrators said the matrix will explicitly align with ASCA (American School Counselor Association) standards, PBIS (Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports), and Jostens Renaissance initiatives to ensure tiered behavioral supports are consistent with counseling and school culture programs.

The item was presented as an informational update; no formal vote was required at the meeting.