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District reports fewer referrals and suspensions overall, notes elementary increases in some incident types
Summary
The student-discipline presentation showed a 14.1% drop in total referrals and a 5.1% drop in suspensions compared with the prior year, while staff warned that elementary-level referrals and attacks on staff increased and that reporting and targeted interventions are underway.
Wicomico County Public Schools presented a student-discipline report showing overall decreases in referrals and suspensions compared with the prior year, while board members and staff highlighted localized increases at the elementary level and emphasized improved reporting and targeted interventions.
Student and Family Services presenter Missus Miles told the board that total referrals fell from 16,383 in the prior year to 14,065, a 14.1 percent decrease. The number of suspensions decreased from 1,975 to 1,874, a reduction of about 5.1 percent. Suspension days fell from 4,819 to 4,147.
Why it matters: district leaders said the numbers are meaningful only if paired with local investigation and intervention. Missus Miles and other staff stressed that some categories require close attention: elementary referrals increased in the comparison and the number of recorded attacks on adults at the elementary level rose (the presenter cited 176 attacks in discussion), which board members said is “too many.” Staff said better reporting may explain some increases—administrators and teachers are more consistently documenting incidents—and that more accurate reporting allows central office to target resources.
The district reported changes by referral reason: class cutting was down about 36 percent; disruption and disrespect decreased (disrespect down about 28 percent); fighting increased roughly 8 percent; attack on student showed a notable decrease in one code but staff emphasized that levels 4xx (serious incidents) indicate students are being held accountable when those behaviors occur.
Staff described several responses and supports: expanded restorative practices, classroom- and campus-level interventions, strengthened hall-pass and campus-security routines to reduce class cutting, a forthcoming elementary behavior-intervention program for grades 2–5, and contracts under consideration with external providers to support elementary students. Presenters also said the system recently added pre-K programming and early-learning transitions, and that those younger cohorts present different behavioral needs than older students.
Board members asked for additional data disaggregation—how many distinct students generated the 176 reported attacks, correlation with special-education processes (EP referrals) and other breakdowns. Staff agreed to provide additional data and said administrators continuously review referral data (by location, time and incident type) and tie patterns to interventions and school-improvement plans.
Speakers - Missus Miles, Student and Family Services presenter - Doctor Stauffer, Superintendent (referenced) - Mister Palmer, Board member (questioner) - Doctor Anis, Board member (commenter)
Authorities []
Actions []
Discussion vs. decision - Discussion: Year-over-year referral and suspension totals; disaggregated reasons and grade-level trends; improved reporting practices and planned interventions including restorative practices and new elementary behavior supports. - Direction: Staff to provide further disaggregated data (number of distinct students involved in serious incidents, EP counts) and continue targeted interventions; no formal board action recorded. - Formal action: None recorded in the transcript.
Clarifying details [{"category":"total_referrals","detail":"total referrals last year vs this year","value_last_year":16383,"value_this_year":14065,"units":"referrals","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Missus Miles"},{"category":"suspensions_count","detail":"suspensions last year vs this year","value_last_year":1975,"value_this_year":1874,"units":"suspensions","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Missus Miles"},{"category":"suspension_days","detail":"suspension days last year vs this year","value_last_year":4819,"value_this_year":4147,"units":"days","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Missus Miles"},{"category":"elementary_attacks_on_adults","detail":"elementary-level recorded attacks on adults","value":176,"units":"incidents","approximate":false,"source_speaker":"Missus Miles"},{"category":"class_cutting_change","detail":"class cutting percentage change","value":-36,"units":"percent","approximate":true,"source_speaker":"Missus Miles"}]
Proper_names [{"name":"Wicomico County Public Schools","type":"agency"}]
Community_relevance {"geographies":["Wicomico County, MD"],"funding_sources":[],"impact_groups":["students","teachers","school staff","parents"]}
Meeting_context {"engagement_level":{"speakers_count":6,"duration_minutes":65,"items_count":1},
