Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the School Discipline topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Austin ISD reports steady decline in exclusionary discipline; highlights CharacterStrong curriculum and documentation changes
Summary
District staff said the exclusionary discipline rate (CPM 1.2) is on track and emphasized CharacterStrong Tier‑1 lessons, NTSS coaching and improved referral documentation as strategies; staff also reported 11,625 discretionary referrals to mid‑March with many resulting in non‑exclusionary responses.
Austin ISD administrators told the board on April 9 they are on track to meet the district’s exclusionary‑discipline target (CPM 1.2) for the school year and described a set of interventions aimed at keeping students in class.
Brandy, a district discipline lead, reported that from the start of the school year through mid‑March staff logged 11,625 discretionary discipline referrals. Of those referrals, she said roughly 11% resulted in students being sent home, 14% in in‑school suspension, 30% in device warnings (influenced by recent legislation on personal devices), and 43% in other actions — such as restorative practices, counselor referrals, parent conferences and detentions — that allowed students to remain on campus and receive supports.
District staff attributed improvements to higher‑fidelity implementation of CharacterStrong (a Tier‑1 social‑emotional and behavior curriculum), NTSS coaching for classroom management, increased restorative practices, and targeted professional learning. The administration said campuses with consistent weekly CharacterStrong lessons and active engagement reported lower referral rates; examples included schools that implemented weekly lessons, measured teacher engagement in the platform, and built campus‑wide systems to reinforce lessons.
Staff outlined next steps to strengthen data and practice: (1) build better documentation tools to record temporary classroom breaks and other non‑exclusionary responses so patterns can be reviewed; (2) expand training and coaching on de‑escalation, relationship building and trauma‑informed strategies; and (3) create campus action plans and menus of supports tailored to local data. The district also plans to provide fidelity checklists and short how‑to videos for teachers, and to introduce a coaching request QR flyer so teachers can ask for timely on‑site support.
Trustees asked for clearer definitions distinguishing exclusionary discipline (ISS/OSS/other formal removals) from classroom‑level, non‑exclusionary practices, and for reporting that shows how documentation and interventions are used before escalation. Staff said they would continue to refine reporting and provide follow‑up materials to the board.
The board voted to accept the monitoring report earlier in the meeting.
