Abstract
A middle school campus in a Southeast urban community used a Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) Cycle, an inquiry method in improvement science, to address high exclusionary discipline rates by implementing Social Emotional Learning (SEL) strategies and Restorative Practices (RP) to transform school culture. A reform to a comprehensive discipline program was developed to minimize the amount of exclusionary discipline outcomes (in-school suspension [ISS], out-of- school suspension [OSS], and expulsion) among students while increasing student attendance rates, student achievement, and teacher retention. Three distinct cycles will be examined, each concentrating on a different problem of practice and intervention. These methods were introduced, practiced, and applied throughout the school to establish a safe, academically challenging, and emotionally supportive environment. The campus established a School Culture Design Team, which served as a Network Improvement Community, to improve student performance in academic and non-academic areas. As evaluated by district and state data, the campus has achieved significant reductions in discipline referrals and suspensions as a result of the implementation of Social Emotional Learning and Restorative Practices, as well as the continuing application of improvement cycles. This has had a favorable impact on school culture as assessed by attendance, academic proficiency, student-teacher interactions, and retaining teachers using quantitative and qualitative methods. The Network Improvement Committee would place “priority on solving a problem together rather than pursuing a theoretical predilection, methodological orientation or personal belief” (Bryk et al., 2017, p. 17).
Date of publication
Summer 7-10-2023
Document Type
Dissertation (Local Only Access)
Language
english
Persistent identifier
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4292
Committee members
Michael Odell, Ph.D., Yanira Oliveras-Ortiz, Ph.D., Woonhee Sung, Ed.D.
Degree
Doctor of Education in School Improvement
Recommended Citation
Carrillo Rowley, Joanna T., "Impact of Social Emotional Learning on Exclusionary Discipline" (2023). Education Theses and Dissertations. Paper 13.
http://hdl.handle.net/10950/4292
Included in
Curriculum and Social Inquiry Commons, Educational Psychology Commons, Holistic Education Commons, Urban Education Commons