District reports sharp drops in referrals, suspensions after middle-school behavior pilot

Ms. Lagunas, presenting the Classroom Behavior Support Update, told the governing board the district piloted a behavior response specialist program at two middle schools using two different models: a cohort program (STAR, “Success Through Adaptive Resilience”) and a broader targeted model.

She described operational practices that include a daily check-in/check-out, teacher ratings throughout the day, referral tracking, and evidence-based small-group instruction using the Zones of Regulation curriculum. “The cohort model has been successful; students asked to be in the program and we now have a waiting list,” Ms. Lagunas said.

Program results presented to the board included a 50% reduction in referrals and a 25% reduction in out-of-school suspensions at one participating school after the program began in January. Ms. Lagunas said those reductions allowed staff to identify students who still need tier‑three supports and refer them to counselors or community services rather than relying solely on exclusionary discipline.

She also shared teacher, counselor, parent and student testimonials gathered during the six-week cohort. One parent testimonial described a child who had felt “troubled” before participating and who experienced measurable improvement afterward, Ms. Lagunas said. Teachers reported that students in the program modeled better behavior for classmates.

District staff said both models include data collection (referrals, suspension counts and teacher surveys) and that the next steps will include analyzing post‑program survey results in May. The board received the update; there was no formal vote to expand the program during the meeting.