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Discipline report shows low exclusionary suspension rates but students and teachers seek more transparent data
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Summary
District monitoring for OE11 showed exclusionary suspensions under 1% and full compliance; staff described planned tiered supports and a consistent discipline matrix, while teachers and students asked for more disaggregated incident and follow‑up data to judge fairness and restorative practice outcomes.
District staff presented the Operational Expectation 11 monitoring report, which staff said demonstrated full compliance and maintained low exclusionary-discipline rates (less than 1% of students). Melinda Reinvan, executive director of elementary education, cited reductions in suspensions and described an emphasis on tiered interventions, restorative practices and a consistent K–12 discipline matrix due in 2026.
Teacher Camille Wright said the report omits aggregated data on lower‑level incidents and repeat infractions that shape progressive discipline in practice. "Without that information, it's difficult to know whether interventions are effective, consistent, or equitable across schools," Wright said.
Student representatives at Issaquah and Liberty high schools presented survey results (sample sizes of approximately 7–10% of their school populations). The Issaquah High student rep reported declines in student perceptions that discipline is restorative (down 10% year‑over‑year for one question) but increases in handbook access and ease of finding policies. Liberty’s rep said many students never open the handbook, and recommended clearer, less legalistic student communications.
Board members pressed for clarity on trends by building and for information on supports for students with disabilities. The report showed that students with IEPs or 504 plans represented a disproportionate share of exclusionary discipline incidents in middle and high schools; staff said manifestation‑determination meetings and IEP reviews are part of the response and that the district’s CCEIS (coordinated early intervening services) plan targets disproportionality.
The board took a recorded advisory-style student vote on the monitoring report; two board members voted aye and one voted nay on the motion to accept the report.
Next steps: staff will return with additional disaggregated behavioral‑incident data by school and updates on planned supports, including the CCEIS plan and a discipline matrix.
