Tolleson Union presents restorative-education pathway, cites drop in suspensions

Tolleson Union High School District officials described a districtwide restorative-education pathway on the board agenda, saying the approach combines multi-tiered academic supports with behavioral and social-emotional interventions to reduce suspensions and return students to classrooms.

Derek Follison, director of operations, told the board the district’s approach centers on the Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) and Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS). “We’re not about being punitive. We’re about being productive,” Follison said, adding that the model emphasizes repairing harm, rebuilding relationships and teaching coping and problem-solving skills.

Follison said the district teams that implement the pathway include site intervention specialists, social workers, behavior specialists, school resource officers, counselors, intervention and prevention coordinators, and alternative-education staff. He introduced district staff who lead those efforts: Carrie Dandridge (intervention coordinator), Oscar Jerone (counselor coordinator), Angela Madsen (grants and federal programs), Jennifer Zorger (exceptional student services) and Travis Johnson (principal of alternative education).

Board members pressed for details on mental‑health services and outcomes. Follison said the district contracts with community providers for school-based counseling and home services and that mental‑health support is “absolutely a huge part” of the work. He also cited an internal metric reported by the discipline team: the number of suspensions from August to January was 8 percent, which he presented as evidence the interventions are reducing lost class time.

Board member discussion focused on the program’s emphasis on root causes and the timebound nature of some disciplinary hearings. In response to a question about expulsions for weapons, Follison summarized the district’s process: a hearing officer makes a recommendation to the governing board, which can accept the recommendation and approve an expulsion; he said the district follows applicable statutes and the hearing-officer process.

Several board members praised the cross-departmental effort. Dr. Luna Najera said she had worked in high schools and appreciated the complexity of threat assessment and crisis response. Member Del Palacio and Vice President Chapman both thanked district staff for building out teams and for the program’s evolution.

Follison and board members emphasized the program is a process rather than a single event, requiring individualized “toolbox” interventions and ongoing follow-up when students move between comprehensive and alternative campuses.

District staff did not propose a board vote on the presentation; the item was informational. Board members and staff said they will continue to refine supports and expand services.

The district provided examples of interventions (academic tutoring, counseling, conflict-resolution circles, transition planning) and said return-to-campus criteria for students in alternative programs are based on academic, attendance and behavior goals.