Superintendent outlines state review after high Hispanic suspension rates; district plans restorative practices

Superintendent Sally Keing reported to the board May 26 that state data for 2023–24 and 2024–25 showed Hispanic/Latino students in Lisbon had suspension rates above the state 15% threshold (reported figures cited as roughly 15.6% and 17.9%). Keing said the district submitted an improvement plan and attended a state workshop, and that the state plans to return to review implementation.

"The main thing is restorative practices," Keing said, describing the district’s approach as a schoolwide framework focused on relationships, community building and accountability so students receive instruction in repairing harm alongside appropriate consequences. She emphasized administrators’ intent to keep students in‑house when appropriate and to limit out‑of‑school suspensions.

Nut graf: The board heard that the state’s disproportionality metric is triggered by a racial category exceeding 15% and by relative‑risk index calculations that can require an improvement plan; Keing said Lisbon will show teachers the plan over the summer and expects state monitoring of compliance.

Board members expressed questions about whether the 15% threshold is relative to overall suspension rates, how small cohort counts can affect the metric, and whether programming (including appropriate special‑education placement) contributes to observed suspension patterns. Keing said the district is already emphasizing restorative practices and will pursue training and possibly a train‑the‑trainer model to scale staff capacity.

The board did not take a vote but asked administration to keep trustees apprised of the state’s review schedule and to share the improvement‑plan details with staff and the public.