Restorative Practices Vs. Zero Tolerance in Schools

Components of Restorative Justice

John Hattie, a well-known educational researcher, introduced Visible Learning, a study of over 800 meta-analyses of educational research. He introduced the barometer of effect size. Taking a wide range of studies, he determined which studies and interventions were most effective. The influences important to restorative practices according to Hattie include teacher-student relationships, prior achievement, problem-solving teaching, not labeling students, home environment, socioeconomic status, classroom cohesion, peer influences, classroom management, and second/third chance programs.

Each of these items was in the top 50 on Hattie's list of highest effects on students in school (Hattie, p297-298).

Restorative Practices are beginning to be used across the United States in schools and in many other countries. The influences listed in this study and many others indicate that if students have a sense of belonging, relationships and trust with teachers and staff, there's a higher likelihood they will achieve academically in school.

The positive effects of restorative justice practices reveal an even larger effect when implemented in schools with a higher population of African American students from low socioeconomic backgrounds. Restorative justice practices allow schools to create individualized solutions that are manageable for the offending students to fulfill, allowing victims to receive closure, and repairing the harm caused by the misbehavior (Payne and Welch, p541).

In studies completed by Oakland Unified School District, it was found that African American students needed to feel that they could succeed in school. These students responded best to a homelike atmosphere, with teachers and administrators interacting with students in relationships similar to those of an extended family (OUSD results, p 69). Creating a cultural norm with an emphasis on understanding relationships between themselves and others confirmed the importance of building an extended family environment to African American students.

African American students expressed the desire to be treated with respect and care, and they wanted to learn within high expectations (Results OUSD, p 69). Where appropriate friendly atmospheres and understanding relationships were lacking, the potential for misbehavior and defiance increased. Moreover, the lack of interpersonal caring behavior from teachers and other adults in schools contributed to rebellion, defiance, and other disrespectful misbehaviors, which then led to more suspensions of African American students.

Restorative Practices have many components that can help African American students from low socioeconomic backgrounds to achieve more, reduce suspensions, reduce dropout rates, and increase attendance. In examining a body of research, restorative practice specialists indicated that the components listed below were most important in implementing restorative practices in schools, not only for African American students, but for the entire school community. First among these is the three Core Principles of Restorative Justice: One must first repair the harm of any wrongful occurrence and be encouraged to make positive change.

Next, the community must find ways to reduce the risk of behaviors occurring again while making students feel safe in order to prevent and control behaviors in the future. Lastly, the community as a whole must feel empowered, and everyone must play an active role in addressing the impacts of wrongdoing (Pelveka, pg. 15). Four of the most popular restorative justice practices include peer mediation, peer/accountability boards, conferencing, and circles. These approaches become important because, "Restorative justice practices provide school administrators and teachers with collaborative solutions to disciplinary violations such as conflict, misbehavior, bullying, and criminal activity" (Pelveka, p.15).

Then, district level considerations must provide a continuum to feeder schools so that cultural practices can be continued beyond the current placement (i.e., from elementary to middle school, or middle school to high school). Lastly, a district must establish restorative practices within their policies in order to show the school community's commitment to the restorative practices and an embrace of the change in approach. If these components are implemented with true fidelity, positive outcomes follow in reduced suspensions, decreased dropout rates, and increased attendance, thus increasing the opportunity for greater student achievement.

Implementation and effects of the Oakland Unified School District

The Oakland School District serves 45,000 students, one-third of whom are African American and over 70% are low-income students. The district voluntarily entered into an agreement with the Office of Civil Rights in 2012 to reduce disproportionality for African American students, and to implement policy changes that would narrow the discipline gap between Black and White students. They achieved better student outcomes through the implementation of restorative justice.

The initiative originally began in 2005 with data collection and the program was expanded until 2010. In 2010, the board passed a resolution adopting restorative justice as a system-wide alternative to zero tolerance disciplinary practices in an effort to foster a healthier school climate (results OUSD, p.8). The resolution included key qualities such as the endorsement of restorative practices and realignment to the district's school improvement framework. They planned to accomplish this with community support and an approach focusing on integration rather than exclusion. The district offered violence prevention programs and other alternatives to suspension, recognizing the need to repair harm and restore relationships. The six key areas they addressed were accountability, continuous improvement, relationships, community building, defining and teaching expectations, facilitating communication between families and schools, intervention for misconduct, and the use of data in problem-solving meetings.

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