District officials outline multi‑year discipline strategy, report fewer referrals but cite chronic absenteeism and mental‑health needs

Associate Superintendent Dr. Webster and director of student services Jesse Jacoby briefed the Washington County Board of Education on the district’s three‑year approach to student discipline and school climate, describing staff training, targeted behavior teams and program changes intended to reduce out‑of‑school removals and support instruction.

“Student suspensions in pre‑K, kindergarten, first grade and second grade are actually prohibited,” Jacoby said, as he described the legal framework that restricts exclusionary discipline for the youngest learners unless a federal law violation occurred or a mental‑health consultant and administrator determine immediate return would be unsafe.

The presentation was both a data update and a description of staffing and program changes intended to reduce disruptive incidents. Jacoby said office referrals through April 15 were roughly 17,000 this year, an approximate 11% decline from a little more than 19,000 through the same cutoff last year. Elementary referrals were up slightly, middle‑school referrals fell by roughly 3,000, and high‑school referrals rose at one school that reported increased enforcement of cell‑phone rules and more rapid identification of students cutting class.

Jacoby…