The balancing act between effective discipline and keeping kids in class is not unique to any one school.

Neither is it a new challenge.

Howard County school officials say they have been working to address the issue for two decades, dating back to a study in the early 1990s that sought to create a general profile of the chronically misbehaving student and found a strong correlation between grades and discipline, schools spokeswoman Patti Caplan said.

Subsequent efforts have included attempts to help students develop a sense of involvement and belonging in the school, including the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports program now used at 50 county schools; the Black Student Achievement Program and Alpha Achievers group for black students; and development of three intensive, distinct alternative education programs housed at the Homewood Center.

"There's no throwaway kids. You can't just give up on them," Caplan said.

David Bruzga, an administrative director for half of the county's secondary schools, said the issue of suspensions is complex because rates fluctuate from school to school and from year to year.

"This is something we wrestle with every year," he said. "It would be very easy for a principal to reduce suspension rates -- they just wouldn't do it, or would only do it for heinous crimes.

"But we don't encourage our principals to do that, quite frankly. The numbers aren't the important thing, it's the behaviors leading to the suspensions."

Pamela Blackwell, director of the county's Student Services Department, said her department's work is aimed at addressing the roots of behavioral problems that can lead to and exacerbate suspensions.

"Certainly, if they're not in school they're missing instructional time and falling behind in their studies," she said. "We're paying close attention to those risk factors."

In addition to instructional intervention teams that design in-school supports, the county coordinates a monthly "Connection Center" that brings together representatives of the school system, police, Social Services, Health Department, Juvenile Services and Grassroots Crisis Intervention to assist families of students' whose cases are deemed to need the help of outside agencies.

"Functional behavior assessments" are conducted for rising eighth-graders who show risks of dropping out, and a more recently developed initiative, called CEAL, is used at elementary schools as early intervention for students with chronic behavior problems.

"Even though the high schools take the hit for dropouts, those students were probably on track to drop out well before ninth grade," Blackwell said.

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user comments (3)

user says...

I challenge Ms. Caplan's claim that "There's no throwaway kids. You can't just give up on them" and Mr. Bruzga's comment that" the issue of suspensions is complex because rates fluctuate from school to school and from year to year" The HCPSS did give up on the students at RHS by not providing oversight of its Administration. The suspension rates have been consistently alarming at RHS since it opened 7 years ago. The rate averaged 80% higher than the county average even when it didn't have a senior class and was the smallest school in the county. Regarding Mr. Bruzga's comment that "the numbers aren't the important thing" - numbers are the starting point for effective oversight and accountability in any organization. Oversight is what protects students from school inequities. Oversight is what the parents of the students suspended 1200 times did not have. If their child attended another high school in the county it would have been closer to 600. As far as Ms. Blackwell's closing quote..... We don't need a Director of Student Services who gives up on our children when they enter the 9th grade.

Posted 10:51 AM, 03.11.10 | Permalink

user says...

I am so tired of parents crying every year about suspension rates! Teacher your children to respect the policies set forth by the school system! The parents that have so much to say would not last a week working in these schools as it is always easier to be a back seat driver. Work with and support your teachers and administrators instead of against them because you think you know best. Parents and children today always have an excuse for WHY they can't follow the policies set forth by the governing bodies whether that is local, state, and federal laws and policies. The future sure looks bright! Stop blaming everyone else and look in the mirror...... Teach your children the meaning of respect because one day the lack of respect by others could come back to bite them and then you will cry and curse the schools for not enforcing the policies you do not teacher your children to respect and by then it might be too late for your children to recover from. Really BAD things can happen if we do not teach our children to respect the policies set forth. Have a good night and STOP CRYING and be part of the solution not the problem......

Posted 4:52 PM, 03.11.10 | Permalink

user concernedparent says...

Dr. Kaufman and county administrators claim that suspensions are necessary to maintain safety and security. How are cutting class, not identifying oneself, and not turning over electronic devices a safety issue? How can a student not in the school pose a safety risk? Those behaviors certainly require disciplinary action…but suspension? The number 1 reason for suspensions in the 07-08 school year was attendance which has since been outlawed in the state of Maryland. How can the County Administrators and the Board of Education not act on this principal? Why are consequences for bad judgment only imposed on the students?

Posted 9:01 PM, 03.16.10 | Permalink