Series 4000: District Employment

A list of alternatives to corporal punishment includes the following:

• provide direct instruction to students in social skills and problem-solving strategies;

• use positive reinforcement to teach and maintain the use of appropriate problem solving and social skills;

• use social reinforcers, such as teacher feedback and other self-esteem enhancing activities, to support and maintain the use of problem-solving and social skills;

• apply logical consequences that will teach students personal responsibility for their actions (e.g., losing the privilege of participating in special school activities);

•  consider the use of time out, which may allow students to learn to take control of their actions and, ultimately, in conjunction with instruction in social skills, to cease their undesirable behavior;

• employ problem-solving classroom meetings and/or school assemblies with honest discussion of problems to encourage student ownership of and responsibility for solutions;

• establish a variety of strategies for communicating with parents/guardians;

• establish contractual agreements that clearly outline consequences with students and their parents/guardians to enhance the development of self-control behavior;

• establish an in-school suspension program, supervised by a responsible adult, in which the student performs curricula-related activities;

• when necessary, refer students to a counselor, social worker, or psychologist at the local or intermediate level and coordinate services with other units of state government (e.g., public health, social services, mental health). Also, seek assistance from private institutions or agencies with appropriate services;

• evaluate and arrange appropriate curriculum and adequate support for students who need academic acceleration, special education, alternative education, or services for achieving English proficiency;

• consider and take action, in accordance with the applicable student code of conduct and due process of law, when disruptive behavior occurs; or

• consider the use of suspensions or expulsions only after other alternatives have been considered.

The Board adopts the above list. District administration will distribute this list to each employee, volunteer, and contractor.

Adoption date: 08/09/2021

Revised date: