The sampling of resources below are provided for the information and convenience of the public and does not constitute endorsement or recommendation by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education.
Resource on Confronting Racial Discrimination in Student Discipline — from the U.S. Department of Education on how the Office of Civil Rights and the Department of Justice resolved investigations of the disciplinary processes in 14 school districts in 10 states
Guiding Principles and Best Practices in School Discipline to Support Students' Social, Emotional, Behavioral, and Academic Needs — U.S. Department of Education's Office of Elementary and Secondary Education (OESE), Office of Safe & Supportive Schools Technical Assistance Centers released a series of fact sheets on how school leaders and members of school communities may support students' social, emotional, behavioral, and academic well-being and success
Addressing the Root Causes of Disciplinary Disparities: An Educator's Action Planning Guide — from the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments (NCSSLE)
Guiding Principles: A resource Guide for improving School Climate and Discipline — from the U.S. Department of Education
I Have a Question… What Parents and Caregivers Can Ask and Do to Help Children Thrive at School — from the U.S. Department of Education, America Achieves, the National Council of La Raza, the National Parent Teacher Association, and the United Negro College Fund
School Climate and Student Discipline Resources — from the U.S. Department of Education
National Child Traumatic Stress Network — administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) and coordinated by the UCLA-Duke University National Center for Child Traumatic Stress (NCCTS)
Preventing Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) — from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's Division of Violence Prevention within the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control
Charter School Discipline: Examples of Policies and School Climate Efforts from the Field — from the National Charter School Resource Center
Student Discipline Best Practices for Charter Schools to Employ — from the Center for Learning Equity
Charter Schools, Civil Rights, and School Discipline — from the Center for Civil Rights Remedies at The Civil Rights Project (Proyecto Derechos Civiles)
Massachusetts Center on Child Wellbeing and Trauma (CCWT) — a resource for child-serving organizations and professionals, the center was established by the state legislature in 2021 and delivers trauma-informed and responsive (TIR) information, tools, and training
Tools and Resources for Creating Trauma-Sensitive Schools — includes no-cost downloadable resources from the Trauma and Learning Policy Initiative (TLPI), a collaboration of Massachusetts Advocates for Children (MAC) and Harvard Law School
School-Based Behavioral Health Technical Assistance Center — from the Behavioral health Integrated Resources for Children (BIRCh) Project, housed at UMass Boston and UMass Amherst and funded in part through state-funding and Boston Children's Hospital.
Toolkit for Educators: Fix School Discipline — a resource from Public Counsel, a provider of pro bono legal services
Positive School Discipline Interactive Course for School Leaders — a no-cost online course from the Education Development Center, a global non-profit organization
Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Self-Assessments — from the U.S. Department of Education's National Technical Assistance Center on PBIS
Planning for Positive Guidance: Powerful Interactions Make a Difference — from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC)
Last Updated: March 11, 2024