CO School Safety Resource Center Restorative Justice Practices Resource for Schools
Learn more about restorative justice practices in schools by clicking on the Restorative Practices Guide for Schools.
Restorative Practices In Schools
Schools are seeking ways to create a safe environment for their students, but incidences of bullying and violence still pervade. Student suspension rates are still high and many argue that forbidding students from coming to school exacerbates, rather than remediates, the problem. Suspension and expulsion may also lack effectiveness since they deny conversation between involved parties about underlying issues and unmet needs. Nor do they offer alternative strategies for handling behavior issues effectively or navigating conflict tactfully; nonviolently. Basically, suspension and expulsion skip over the teaching point.
Enter Restorative Practices in Schools, which have been shown not only to decrease suspension rates anywhere from 40% to 80%, but also resulted in a nearly 50% drop in absenteeism and a 60% decrease in tardiness. Restorative Practices in Schools have the potential to offer negative leaders reason enough and structure enough to step into positive leadership roles inside and outside of the classroom.
In Colorado Restorative Practices in Schools are on the rise. The RJ Council is making a concerted effort to support the development of Restorative Practices in Schools that train, implement and practice with fidelity and consistency over the long term. There is evidence, through Implementation Science that a minimum of 3-5 years is needed to shift a punitive school climate to a restorative one.
It is a worthy endeavor as those who stick to it have seen students become leaders of restorative practices side by side with the adults in their buildings.
Colorado Restorative Practices in Schools Guidelines (560 KB)
Mapleton Early College fosters leadership development for students through Restorative Justice.
Montbello High School reduces suspension and expulsion rates by 30% using Restorative Justice.
Restorative Justice In Schools Works
I wish more students with mental health issues could participate in the restorative justice process!
It was a positive learning experience.
It was really helpful and great because I was able to get to talk to the people from the school.
Restorative justice is a wonderful process for helping students to take responsibility for their actions and to grow into positive contributing a lot.
It was great to be helping a student before it gets worse.
It was handled really good and I think it’s a really good program for young kids to learn and not to be in the system they have a chance to be better.
I was impressed that the student didn’t need to be punished to understand what he did and to fix what he broke, It's nice to see a student take responsibility what he did.
Me gusto como me ayudaron y como solusionavon mi caso.
It was interesting to learn more about the process and to have a role in helping to continue educating young people.
I love the restorative justice process, and I feel the process really helped the parent get past some feels she had for the school.
Love this program and process! Great, supportive steps in helping students to take responsibility for their actions in a positive way. Nice way to develop support plan.
It should be at every school and ever state because it works.
I am glad my son received necessary support from RJ. I am also glad that learned useful life skills which will enormously help him at school and living in America.
I really appreciate the way everyone showed respect and listened and happy for this opportunity and I really think it is teaching me something.
It helped me be friends with my friend again.
Restorative justice helped me understand the harm I caused and helped me rethink.
I thought this process was extremely helpful to my student and I think it was a great meeting for all involved.
It worked in a positive way. The parties were able to return to school, end the drama, and found a way to rebuild the relationship they had prior.
At first I didn’t want to go with this program at all but really happy that I did.
“I never knew how what I did could hurt somebody else. And I never knew so many people cared about me.”
Latest Restorative Justice In Schools News
Restorative Culture in School unifies students post-election
There is growing evidence that schools that engage tools like restorative practices experience less violence, suspension and expulsion due to misbehavior.
Rare funding opportunity in CO for Restorative Practices in Schools
The Colorado Department of Education has just released a funding opportunity through the Expelled and At-Risk Student Services Grant (EARSS) program.
RJ Council Releases Restorative Practices in Schools Guidelines for CO
The Colorado Coordinating Council on Restorative Justice (CO RJ Council) adopted the first Colorado Restorative Practices in Schools Guidelines document August 26th, 2016.