Essential Questions for Middle Grade Math: Positive School Environment

Mean scores on family surveys, such as the Panorama Family-School Relationships Survey or CORE Districts School Culture & Climate Survey parent assessment of school-community engagement (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Invest in family engagement strategies that value parents as experts in their children’s development (Alliance for Early Success).

Set goals and track outcomes in ways that engage families in their children’s learning (Alliance for Early Success).

Co-locate or coordinate programs and services to improve family access (Alliance for Early Success).

Community schools operate as community hubs, bringing together many partners to offer education, health and social services, and youth and community development for children, young people, parents, and other community members during extended hours and weekends (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

States should keep prioritizing legislation that supports authentic school-home-community collaboration to improve children’s reading. 

States that currently inform parents about their children’s reading performance should consider modeling after states that are trying to foster genuine school-family partnerships around literacy. (Model state: Alaska) (Shanker Institute).

Legislation in many more states could leverage libraries and other community assets to promote students’ reading development. (Model state: Colorado) (Shanker Institute).

Engaging families in their children’s education is known to have a positive effect on their school readiness and later academic outcomes. Engagement strategies that are designed as a core component of an improvement plan and focused on improving educational outcomes for all children are most effective, helping to mobilize families and others in the community to share the responsibility (Shanker Institute).

Alaska’s HB 114 provides an example of giving parents a voice in their children’s literacy education.  The law requires that each public school in the state annually provides to parents and guardians of K-3 students current information on the importance of literacy and early reading. This includes: (1) culturally responsive intervention strategies and reading intervention services; (2) home reading plans; (3) grade progression standards and policies for the elementary school attended; (4) strategies and resources to help children learn to read; and (5) a list of resources and organizations that specialize in improving adult literacy (Shanker Institute).

Alaska’s law requires establishing a partnership with parents and guardians to support their child’s literacy development through intervention services. This entails offering a “list of adult literacy resources and organizations, providing opportunities for parent or guardian participation in training workshops, and encouraging regular parent or guardian-guided home reading activities.” (Shanker Institute).

Alaska’s law requires that parents and guardians be an active participant in creating their child’s literacy improvement plan. This involves the development of a plan in consultation with the reading teacher, school principal, and other pertinent district staff; receiving reading progress updates each year; and acquiring strategies to use at home to help their children succeed in reading (Shanker Institute).

Finally, Alaska’s law promotes a statewide “parents as teachers” program for the benefit of children who are under 5 years of age. This home-based program includes a curriculum on early language and literacy development along with ongoing coaching to enhance parents’ understanding of important child development principles and developmental milestones (Shanker Institute).

Mississippi’s 2013 Literacy-Based Promotion Act requires local school boards to submit quarterly public progress reports to parents on their students’ reading progress and publish data on reading performance in a local newspaper (Bellwether).

Legislators should ensure that parents and teachers have a voice in policy decisions. This could involve their participation in literacy committees or input through surveys or interviews. Laws should embody a spirit of collaboration; excessive prescriptiveness and rigidity, such as outright bans on practices, hinder this and can prove impractical. The emphasis should be on adaptability, respect, and positive interactions with educators and families, who are critical for the success of reading reform. Ultimately, it’s parents and teachers, with their direct connection to students, who support everyday learning and bring these reforms to life (Shanker Institute).

Percentage of students indicating they feel safe and cared for at their school (National Education Association).

Number of documented incidents that occurred at the school of: Robbery with a weapon; Robbery without a weapon; Physical attack or fight with a weapon; Physical attack or fight without a weapon; Threat of physical attack with a weapon; Threat of physical attack without a weapon; Rape or attempted rape; Sexual assault (other than rape); Possession of a firearm or explosive device; Shooting (regardless of whether anyone was hurt); Students, faculty, or staff deaths as a result of a homicide (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Whether any of the school’s students, faculty, or staff died as a result of a homicide committed at the school (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Whether there has been at least one incident at the school that involved a shooting (regardless of whether anyone was hurt)  (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of documented incidents of offenses [rape or attempted rape; sexual assault (other than rape)] committed by a student that occurred at the school (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of documented incidents of offenses [rape or attempted rape; sexual assault (other than rape)] committed by a school staff member that occurred at the school.

Number of allegations made against a school staff member of offenses [rape or attempted rape; sexual assault (other than rape)] that occurred at the school, which were followed by a resignation or retirement prior to final discipline or termination (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of allegations made against a school staff member of offenses [rape or attempted rape; sexual assault (other than rape)] that occurred at the school, which were followed by a determination that the school staff member was responsible for the offense (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of allegations made against a school staff member of offenses [rape or attempted rape; sexual assault (other than rape)] that occurred at the school, which were followed by a determination that the school staff member was not responsible for the offense (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of allegations made against a school staff member of offenses [rape or attempted rape; sexual assault (other than rape)] that occurred at the school, which had a determination that remained pending (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of allegations made against a school staff member of offenses [rape or attempted rape; sexual assault (other than rape)] that occurred at the school, which were followed by a duty reassignment prior to final discipline or termination (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of reported allegations of harassment or bullying of K-12 students on the basis of: sex; sexual orientation; gender identity; race, color, or national origin; disability; religion (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of reported allegations of harassment or bullying of K-12 students on the basis of perceived religion (disaggregated by atheism/agnosticism; Buddhist; Catholic; Eastern Orthodox; Hindu; Islamic (Muslim); Jehovah’s Witness; Jewish; Mormon; multiple religions, group; other Christian; other religion; Protestant; Sikh) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of K-12 students reported as harassed or bullied on the basis of: sex; race, color, or national origin; disability [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disabilityIDEA, disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of K-12 students disciplined for engaging in harassment or bullying on the basis of: sex; race, color, or national origin; disability [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-IDEA, disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Percentage of students reporting high levels of physical, mental and emotional safety in school climate surveys, such as the U.S. Department of Education ED School Climate Surveys (EDSCLS), the Sense of Safety subscale within the CORE Districts school culture and climate survey, or the School Safety subscale within the Panorama Student Survey (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of educators surveyed indicating they feel safe and cared for at their school (National Education Association).

Percentage of public school employees in each job category who have received in-service training on intervention techniques, such as restorative practices (National Education Association).

Schools report disaggregated data on incidents of student bullying on a daily or weekly basis (National Education Association).

Percentage of program sites that ensure the safety and security of children and workforce members, in programs where focal populations make up at least half of the student population (STEP Forward with Data Framework).

Student-to-counselor ratio and access to school social workers.

Whether an LEA has a written policy or policies prohibiting harassment or bullying of students on the basis of all of the following: sex; race, color, or national origin; disability (LEA) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Web link to policy or policies prohibiting harassment or bullying of students on the basis of all of the following: sex; race, color, or national origin; disability (LEA) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Whether an LEA has a written policy or policies prohibiting harassment or bullying of students on the basis of: sexual orientation; gender identity; or religion (LEA) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Web link to policy or policies prohibiting harassment or bullying of students on the basis of: sexual orientation; gender identity; or religion (LEA) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Facilities that are safe, healthy, inviting, welcoming, and conducive to teaching and learning (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Districts educate all school personnel on intervention techniques in incidents of student bullying and harassment, such as restorative practices and Positive Behavioral Intervention and Supports (PBIS) (National Education Association).

Districts allocate resources toward interventions around student safety issues (e.g., LGBTQ+ bullying and harassment) (National Education Association).

Percentage of students in K-12 reporting belonging in school, as measured by surveys such as the Sense of Belonging subscale of the CORE Districts school culture and climate survey, the Classroom Belonging subscale of the Panorama Student Survey, or the Elevate survey’s Affirming Identities and Classroom Community scales (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of students experiencing mechanical versus physical constraint and seclusion (Data source: Civil Rights Data Collection) (StriveTogether 2021).

Percentage of students experiencing school-related arrests (Data source: Civil Rights Data Collection) (StriveTogether 2021).

Percentage of students receiving in-school or out-of-school suspensions (Data source: Civil Rights Data Collection) (StriveTogether 2021).

Sense of belonging and connection to school community (Data sources: Youth Risk Behavior Survey; local school climate surveys) (StriveTogether 2021).

Student perceptions of their school’s inclusion of their history, culture and racial identity (Data sources: Local school climate surveys) (StriveTogether 2021).

Percentage of teachers who have received professional development in culturally-responsive pedagogy (National Education Association).

Percentage of teachers who have received professional learning time in equity and racial and social justice (National Education Association).

Percentage of teachers who have received professional learning time in implicit bias (National Education Association).

Percentage of teachers who have received professional learning time in trauma-related practices (National Education Association).

Measurement of bullying, harassment and discrimination (Data sources: Youth Risk Behavior Survey; local school climate surveys) (StriveTogether 2021).

Schools annually report on school climate and student engagement (National Education Association).

Schools have data-driven, site-based school climate and student engagement plans (National Education Association).

Percentage of programs where classrooms demonstrate equitable socio-cultural interactions (STEP Forward with Data Framework).

Percentage of system-level funding that is allocated to equity-focused activities targeted to children, families and/or workforce members from focal populations (STEP Forward with Data Framework).

Social and Emotional Bridging: Teacher creates a positive classroom environment that deconstructs social boundaries between teacher and students. Teacher shares their humanity (e.g., opinions, likes, stories, personal details) and seeks to relate to students in ways that recognize students’ humanity (i.e., seeing them as whole people, not just as students). Teacher and students share emotions and experiences that help each other become “seen” and “known.” (Matthews et al., Belonging-Centered Instruction).

Communal Orientation: Teacher promotes a “we’re in this together” orientation with their students. Teacher supports a climate of communalism over individualism across the social dynamics within the classroom. Teacher maintains a vested interest in the academic and social growth of the group, and in relying on one another to achieve that growth. (Matthews et al., Belonging-Centered Instruction).

Empathetic Awareness and Support: Teacher is conscious of individual students’ strengths, emotions, physical wellbeing, and resource needs. Teacher supports individual students’ emotional and psychological health, and demonstrates that individual students matter in the life of the classroom. Teacher emphasizes students’ value regardless of mathematical ability. (Matthews et al., Belonging-Centered Instruction).

Safety to Be Wrong: Teacher creates a space where students do not feel stigmatized for wrongness or needing support. Teacher disarms and normalizes wrongness. Students have the opportunity to break the pattern of judging their mathematical belongingness simply based on correctness. Mastery and effort are celebrated over performance and talent.  (Matthews et al., Belonging-Centered Instruction).

Decentering Teacher Authority: Teacher indicates that students’ mathematical methods/ ideas have real value (worth). Teacher positions students as knowledgeable authorities in mathematics. Students have a sense that their intellectual contributions matter in the life of this classroom.  (Matthews et al., Belonging-Centered Instruction).

Mathematics to Know Myself & My World: Teacher provides opportunities to use mathematics to support student agency, empower cultural identity, understand the world, and critique their social world. (Matthews et al., Belonging-Centered Instruction).

High Standards & Rigorous Support: Teacher communicates high standards for students while also providing support to help students achieve these standards. Teacher implicitly or explicitly communicates that they expect consistent mathematical effort and high-level performance. However, beyond high standards and support, the teacher cultivates the belief within students that they can fulfill the high expectations by instilling confidence and/ or sharing strategy. (Matthews et al., Belonging-Centered Instruction).

Districts dedicate professional learning time to culturally-responsive pedagogy (National Education Association).

Districts dedicate professional learning time to equity and racial and social justice (National Education Association).

Districts dedicate professional learning time to implicit bias (National Education Association).

Districts dedicate professional learning time to trauma-informed practices (National Education Association).

Equity does not mean equal. Equity is not just about treating all students equally, but rather about recognizing and addressing the unique needs and strengths of each individual student. This means acknowledging that students have different learning styles, abilities, and backgrounds, and adapting our teaching practices to meet these differences (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).

Focus on the individual. Learning students’ names is only the first step in developing a relationship with those individuals. The more teachers understand and respect the individual’s background and strengths, the more they understand their needs (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).

Create a safe and inclusive learning environment. Creating a safe and inclusive learning environment is crucial for promoting equity and diversity. Teachers can start with classroom decor, organization, and set-up. Ensure that classroom displays include positive messages and representations of the different cultural backgrounds of your students. Consider adding posters that suggest a “safe space” to make students feel welcome and valued (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).

Address biases and cultivate an equitable classroom. It is essential for educators to acknowledge and address their own biases, recognizing the impact they can have on students. Teachers should take proactive steps to develop cultural competence and create a learning environment that values diversity and promotes equity. Incorporate a range of instructional strategies, such as manipulatives, visuals, projects, and technology, to meet the diverse needs and strengths of your students (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).

Districts allocate funds to advance educators’ awareness of implicit bias (National Education Association).

Districts allocate funds to advance educators’ competence in culturally-responsive pedagogy (National Education Association).

Districts allocate funds to advance educators’ understanding of equity and racial and social justice (National Education Association).

Districts allocate funds to advance educators’ understanding of trauma-informed practices (National Education Association).

Districts allocate resources to a workforce wellness and safety program, ensuring educators of color and LGBTQ+ educators feel safe and cared for in their schools (National Education Association).

State develops a policy that requires annual reporting by school on school climate and student engagement (National Education Association).

Fostering positive learning environments for students, including by reducing class sizes, developing programs that prevent bullying, moving away from punitive disciplinary practices and applying other trauma-informed practices (Urban Institute).

Student body composition by race and ethnicity (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Student body composition by race and ethnicity. Student and employee demographics are reported regularly in administrative data systems. Unlike postsecondary institutions and employers, however, pre-K and K– 12 institutions have less direct control over the demographics of their populations. Thus, this indicator should be used to identify policy solutions to address ongoing segregation rather than penalize institutions. (Education-to-Workforce Framework)

Student body composition by income (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Share of students attending high-poverty schools, by race or ethnicity (Urban Institute).

Use of research and data tools to understand school and workplace socioeconomic diversity to understand equity issues and trends (National Equity Atlas).

Creating more equitable school attendance boundaries (Urban Institute).

Developing centralized school lottery application systems that prioritize school diversity  (Urban Institute).

Ending school and neighborhood segregation, including by expanding affordable housing in resource-rich neighborhoods and reforming zoning policies to allow for more diverse, high-density, mixed-income communities (Urban Institute).

Implementing more equitable school funding policies and advocating for reforms to state and federal funding (Urban Institute).

In schools with many students who are off track to graduate, the WWC recommends creating small, personalized learning communities. By grouping students into small communities of no more than a few hundred students, teachers and other school staff can be better equipped to implement other interventions, including providing students who are off track with intensive, individualized support. The WWC notes that in small, personalized communities, staff can check in with students more frequently, pay closer attention to their needs, and form stronger and more meaningful relationships with them. As the relationships between students, teachers, and other school staff grow, students may develop a greater sense of belonging in the school community, thus helping them stay engaged in school. (EW Framework).

Community Math Nights build the capacity of educators and community members to learn, plan, collaborate and take action toward transforming practices and student learning in mathematics classrooms. These sessions actively engage participants as learners – developing common understandings of innovative instructional practices that support student learning in today’s classroom. Math Night sessions generate informed, independent decision-making and parent knowledge of how to help their child with math. These sessions also build support for teachers and students as current practices in mathematics classrooms are being advanced. (Mathematics Education Collaborative).

Community Walks: Learning from Stakeholders Outside of the School Community. Preparing preservice and beginning K-8 mathematics teachers to understand their students and surrounding communities requires active participation in community events and investment in relationships with parents and families as major stakeholders in the success of their students’ education. Shande King and others at the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) propose that an understanding of the community and a promotion of activism toward change values social justice-oriented mathematics lessons that help students view mathematics as a tool to understand inequities and social problems in the world. (King et al., Learning from and with the Community).

Service Learning: Empowering Students with Social Justice Mathematics. With an eye specifically on preservice and beginning teachers, Shande King and others at the Association of Mathematics Teacher Educators (AMTE) propose this model for service-learning experiences within the framework of an undergraduate teacher preparation program and experiences that promote growth in preservice teachers’ practices in the classroom. By volunteering at family and community events, especially ones that promote positive mathematics learning beyond the classroom such as family mathematics or STEM nights and after-school mathematics clubs, preservice teachers see the value in promotion of positive mathematics learning for both students and parents, particularly for students in underrepresented and marginalized populations. By actively engaging students in mathematics learning that is personal and relevant in their own communities, preservice and practicing mathematics teachers alike promote student adoption of agency of their own mathematics learning (Buenrostro & Radinsky, 2019). (King et al., Learning from and with the Community).

Book Study Community: Learning with the School Community. Research has shown that book clubs are valuable resources for teachers and preservice teachers to have a more relaxed and social environment for engaging with other teachers who, by structure of the book club, are on an equal level (Mensah, 2009). (King et al., Learning from and with the Community).

Percentage of students in K-12 reporting a high level of social awareness on surveys such as the CORE Districts SEL Survey social awareness scale, or percentage of students meeting benchmarks on teacher ratings of social skills drawn from Elliott and Gresham’s Social Skills Rating Scale (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of youth in K-12 with mental or emotional health needs as identified by a universal screening tool. For a list of mental health screening tools that may be appropriate for school-based use, see the following guide from the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments: “Mental Health Screening Tools for Grades K-12” (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Encourage play to help develop social, emotional, and executive function skills.  (Alliance for Early Success)

Respect diverse perspectives and model active listening. Imagine a classroom where every student is empowered to reach their full potential. As educators, you hold the key to unlocking this kind of learning environment. By creating engaging, thought-provoking lessons and fostering a culture of inclusivity, empathy, and mutual respect, you can encourage students to connect with their peers and with you. Respect diverse perspectives and model active listening to promote thoughtful, respectful discourse and participation. Embrace a growth mindset where students feel comfortable taking risks, asking questions, and learning from their mistakes. (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).

Percentage of students or individuals reporting a high level of social capital on surveys such as the Social Capital Assessment + Learning for Equity (SCALE) Social Capital, Network Diversity, and Network Strength scales (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

The EW Framework recommends consulting guidance by the Christensen Institute that describes emerging practices for measuring students’ social capital using a four-dimensional framework based on quantity of relationships, quality of relationships, structure of networks, and ability to mobilize relationships (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

A student has strong developmental relationships, that is, close connections through which young people discover who they are, gain abilities to shape their own lives, and learn how to interact with and contribute to the world around them. A developmental relationship is distinct from more generalized notions of positive relationships in that it is defined by the combination of five interconnected elements: express care, challenge growth, provide support, share power, and expand possibilities. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

A student has access to the resources provided by developmental relationships. Resources can include things such as financial or material help, information, skill-building opportunities, guidance, and values and norms. The following social capital measure focuses on three types of resources: access to useful information, new connections, and skill-building opportunities. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Students have a web or network of developmentally-rich relationships that can provide access to valuable resources. There are several indicators that have been used to understand the quality of an individual’s social network, such as network structure, size, diversity, and strength. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Students have people in their network who are from different cultures, racial and ethnic backgrounds, economic backgrounds, and have different skills. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Students have people in their network they can go to for help, trust, and feel close to, as well as people who they feel less close to (i.e., weaker tie) but who may be influential in helping them access their goals or who may connect them to others. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Catalysts to Mobilize Relationships and Resources: The degree to which an individual has different relationships that help build their self-awareness, confidence, relationships-building skills, and possible selves. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Self-Initiated Social Capital: The degree to which an individual actively builds relationships and uses the relationships and the resources they have to reach their goals. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Relationship-Building Skills: The degree to which an individual is able to build positive relationships with others. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Networking Skills: The degree to which an individual purposefully uses relationships within their social network to reach their goals. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Personal Identity: The degree to which an individual has a clear sense of their personal identity (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Racial and Ethnic Identity: The degree to which an individual has a clear sense of their racial and ethnic background and what this identity means to them. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Sense of Purpose: The degree to which an individual has a clear sense of their life’s purpose. (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Self-Efficacy for Reaching Life Goals: The degree to which an individual feels they can successfully reach their life goals.  (Search Institute, Social Capital Assessment).

Progress Towards Education or Career Goals: The degree to which an individual reports making progress towards their education or career goals. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Commitment to Paying It-Forward: The degree to which an individual engages in behaviors that demonstrate a commitment to paying-it-forward to others. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Collective Efficacy to Change Systems: The degree to which an individual feels that they can work with their program or organization to change employment and education systems. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Occupational Identity: The degree to which an individual has a clear sense of their occupational identity. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Job-Seeking Skills: The degree to which an individual engages in behaviors that may lead to securing employment.  (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

To measure concentration of social capital at a systems level, users could consider an index adapted from researchers Anil Rupasingha and Stephan Goetz.  Their index includes: the number of all associations per 10,000 population, including religious organizations, civic and social associations, political organizations, professional organizations, labor organizations, bowling centers, physical fitness facilities, public golf courses, and sports clubs. The measure also includes commercial and nonprofit associations drawn from Census Bureau County Business Patterns data. It also includes 

The percentage of voters who participated in a presidential, state, or county election (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

The county-level census response rate in the person’s county (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

The number of charitable, nonprofit organizations with an office in the county (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Cohesiveness: The degree to which a person’s social networks are fragmented into cliques.  (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Economic connectedness: The degree to which low-income and high-income people are friends with each other. Studies have shown that children who grow up in communities with more economic connectedness (cross-class interaction) are much more likely to rise up out of poverty. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Civic engagement: Rates of volunteering and participation in community organizations. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Program Support for Social Capital Development: The degree to which an individual reports receiving forms of support as a result of participating in a program that is believed to promote social capital (e.g., skill building, increasing network size). (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Sense of Program/School Community: The degree to which an individual feels a sense of community within their program, school, or organization. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Psychological Safety: The degree to which an individual feels their program or organization provides a safe space for them to express who they are as an individual. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Volunteer Support: The degree to which an individual perceives that volunteers in their program or organization have provided them with social capital support (e.g., useful information, new connections). (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Seeking Volunteer Support: The degree to which an individual actively seeks social capital support from volunteers within their program or an organization (e.g., asks for information, guidance, and other forms of instrumental support). (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Seeking Teacher/Professor Support: The degree to which an individual actively seeks social capital support from teachers, professors, and other campus staff (e.g., asks for information, guidance, and other forms of instrumental support). (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Students’ social capital in STEM education (derived from families, peers, teachers, and professional networks) demonstrably promotes their STEM educational outcomes and career paths. Inclusive STEM schools, mentoring, and after-school programs are some promising approaches that can enhance STEM social capital and outcomes of underrepresented students, particularly women, Blacks/Hispanics/Native Americans, youth with low socioeconomic status, and persons with disabilities. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

In out-of-school settings, offering after-school or summer programs, such as robotics team or science summer camp, can foster peer networks and pair students with STEM mentors. These out-of-school time programs are practical social capital building strategies that can reach a large number of students across the country, especially in rural communities. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Schools and nonprofit organizations can help cultivate social capital among young people through educational and non-educational programming (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Interventions such as zoning and affordable housing policies aimed at integrating neighborhoods and college admissions reforms to boost diversity on campuses can increase cross-class interaction substantially and are likely to be very valuable. (Opportunity Insights, Social Capital and Economic Mobility). 

Friending bias (i.e. the tendency for people to befriend people similar to them) can be influenced by policy changes as well. While more work needs to be done to identify what types of interventions reduce friending bias, there are a number of programs being piloted around the country that warrant further study: efforts to reduce the size of groups in which students interact and limit the divisions created by tracking in schools, changes in architecture and urban planning to foster greater interaction, and the creation of new domains for interaction via programs that seek to break down class barriers. (Opportunity Insights, Social Capital and Economic Mobility). 

Providing relevant bridging social capital may make other programs that seek to increase economic mobility more effective. For example, recent programs that have had large impacts in helping families move to higher-opportunity neighborhoods or obtain higher-paying jobs provide bridging social capital and outperform traditional programs that focus solely on economic resources or skills. These results suggest that prioritizing the provision of adequate social support so people can take advantage of available economic resources may greatly amplify the impacts of existing programs to reduce intergenerational poverty. (Opportunity Insights, Social Capital and Economic Mobility). 

Policy initiatives and programs aimed at enhancing opportunities for students to connect and engage with more interest-sharing peers and professionals in STEM fields could help them develop extended social networks that can support their educational and career pathways in STEM. ISTEMSs represent one of the latest comprehensive schoolwide reform models that offer opportunities for students, particularly underrepresented groups, to participate in a STEM-specialized learning environment with interest-sharing peers.  (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Policymakers and educators can develop and expand programs that promote STEM-oriented interactions among peers and parental involvement in STEM education both at home and at school. Creating and supporting STEM-focused clubs or study groups, in and out of school, is one approach. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Policymakers and educators can introduce STEM-related materials or activities to the existing well-established student organizations such as Girl Scout STEM Programs and Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) STEM Programs. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

To promote parental engagement in STEM, they must have expanded access to STEM learning resources and activities, especially for those parents without a college degree and those who are not working in STEM fields. Equally important is providing training and professional development in STEM for educators and social service providers, such as public librarians or museum staff, whose tasks involve engaging parents in their children’s learning activities. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Policy initiatives can create and facilitate well-designed mentoring programs that pair students (in particular women, under-represented minorities, low-SES students, and people with disabilities) with STEM educators or professionals who are knowledgeable and passionate about supporting students’ educational and career development. Training and supporting those STEM educators or professionals in providing mentorship can help them be effective mentors for their mentees. Also helpful is partnering schools with industry organizations to offer internships for students to shadow professionals in real-world STEM settings. (Leveraging Social Capital to Broaden Participation in STEM).

Ratio of number of students to number of health, mental health, and social services full-time equivalent (FTE) staff (for example, school nurses, psychologists, and social workers) (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

The U.S. Department of Education’s National Teacher and Principal Survey collects data on the number of FTE nurses, psychologists, and social workers among a sample of schools (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of eligible students enrolled in free and reduced-price school breakfast and lunch programs (National Education Association).

Percentage of eligible students enrolled in free and reduced-price school breakfast and lunch programs (National Education Association)..

Percentage of youth with mental or emotional health needs as identified by a universal screening tool. For a list of mental health screening tools that may be appropriate for school-based use, see the following guide from the National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments: “Mental Health Screening Tools for Grades K–12” (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Proportion of youth experiencing poor mental health (Data Source: Youth Risk Behavior Surveillance System) (StriveTogether 2021).

Child care centers that have access to ongoing health or mental health consultation (Project Thrive, NCCP).

Eligible schools are enrolled in free and reduced-price school breakfast and lunch programs (National Education Association).

Ratio of number of students to number of health, mental health and social services full-time equivalent (FTE) staff (for example, school nurses, psychologists and social workers) (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Number and type of in-school health workers (National Education Association).

Percentage of specialized instructional support personnel (SISP) surveyed indicating satisfaction with time dedicated toward collaboration (National Education Association).

Percentage of programs offering health, mental health and social services, or staff or consultants providing infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) services (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Proportion of schools with behavioral/mental health services and on-site staff (StriveTogether 2021).

Percentage of programs offering health, mental health and social services in-house, including staff or consultants providing infant and early childhood mental health consultation (IECMHC) services (STEP Forward with Data Framework).

Invest in strategies that address the behavioral and mental health of children and the adults who care for them. (Alliance for Early Success)

Districts provide adequate resources for student-to-specialized instructional support personnel (SISP) to collaborate with teachers, education support professionals (ESPs), parents and students. (National Education Association).

Districts provide student-to-specialized instructional support personnel (SISP) with adequate time to collaborate with teachers and education support professionals (ESPs) (National Education Association).

Pediatricians use developmental milestone assessments, like the Ages & Stages Questionnaires (ASQ), during regular well visits.

School-based supports for child health and well-being, such as physicals, vaccinations, dental and vision care, therapy and other mental health services (Results for America).

Providing access to health care (Rhode Island Kids Count).

Districts require a favorable student-to-specialized instructional support personnel (SISP) ratio (Optimal ratios include: school counselors – 250:1; school nurses – 750:1; school psychologists – 500-700:1; school social workers – 250:1) (National Education Association).

State and/or district pays for school-based health workforce, including nurses and counselors (National Education Association).

State requires that all school-age children are appropriately immunized before entering school (National Education Association).

Percentage of students meeting benchmarks on self-rated surveys of physical health, such as the California Healthy Kids Survey Physical Health & Nutrition module (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

The EW Framework recommends measuring physical development and well-being using self-reports on surveys. Although physical fitness tests and activity trackers are viable alternatives to self-reports, survey data may be more feasible to collect at scale while mitigating potential concerns about shaming and privacy. As one example, California administers both a survey and a physical fitness test to K–12 students. However, it recently eliminated the Body Composition component of the test amid concerns about its value and risk for unintended consequences and is reassessing whether to continue with the test at all (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Since 2003, every school district in California has been required to administer the California Healthy Kids Survey (CHKS) at least once every two years and make the results publicly available. CHKS is an anonymous, confidential survey for students in grades 5 and above designed to help school communities identify students’ needs. It is based on a strengths-based framework drawn from resilience and youth development research. CHKS covers several dimensions of school climate and student well-being, including physical and mental well-being and safety. Although there is a core survey that must be administered, school districts can select supplementary modules for more in-depth questions on different topics or add a custom module to measure other topics relevant to their community.

K–12: Percentage of students demonstrating proficiency on assessments such as the College and Career Readiness Assessment, an assessment for grades 6–12 that measures critical thinking, problem solving, and written communications (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Remembering: Students recognize or recall knowledge from memory. Remembering is when memory is used to produce or retrieve definitions, facts, or lists, or to recite previously learned information. (Anderson and Krathwohl, Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised).

Understanding: Students construct meaning from different types of functions be they written or graphic messages or activities like interpreting, exemplifying, classifying, summarizing, inferring, comparing, or explaining. (Anderson and Krathwohl, Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised).

Applying: Students carry out or use a procedure through executing or implementing. Applying relates to or refers to situations where learned material is used through products like models, presentations, interviews or simulations. (Anderson and Krathwohl, Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised).

Analyzing: Students break materials or concepts into parts, determine how the parts relate to one another or how they interrelate, or how the parts relate to an overall structure or purpose. Mental actions included in this function are differentiating, organizing, and attributing, as well as being able to distinguish between the components or parts. When one is analyzing, he/she can illustrate this mental function by creating spreadsheets, surveys, charts, or diagrams, or graphic representations. (Anderson and Krathwohl, Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised).

Evaluating: Students make judgments based on criteria and standards through checking and critiquing. Critiques, recommendations, and reports are some of the products that can be created to demonstrate the processes of evaluation. In the newer taxonomy, evaluating comes before creating as it is often a necessary part of the precursory behavior before one creates something. (Anderson and Krathwohl, Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised).

Creating: Students put elements together to form a coherent or functional whole; reorganizing elements into a new pattern or structure through generating, planning, or producing. Creating requires students to put parts together in a new way, or synthesize parts into something new and different creating a new form or product. This process is the most difficult mental function in the new taxonomy. (Anderson and Krathwohl, Bloom’s Taxonomy Revised).

Fermi questions encourage multiple approaches, emphasize process rather than product, and promote non-traditional problem-solving strategies. Fermi questions are unexpected questions about the natural world whose answers are rough quantitative estimations. When asking Fermi questions, it’s essential to use examples that reflect the experiences and backgrounds of students from different cultures and communities. This can help create a sense of relevance and connection to the math and can also help to promote diversity and inclusivity in the classroom. For example, instead of asking “How many drops of water are in Lake Erie?”, you could ask “How many gallons of water does a family in a drought-affected area need to conserve each month?” or “How many pounds of food does a refugee family need to collect each month to survive?” By using examples that reflect the diverse experiences and backgrounds of your students, you can help to create a more inclusive and supportive learning environment. (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics). 

Teachers use a variety of question types to gauge students’ understanding. When gauging students’ learning in math class, it’s essential to ask a variety of questions that encourage critical thinking, communication, and reflection. Open-ended questions can help you understand students’ thought processes and identify areas where they may need additional support. Probing questions can uncover students’ thought patterns and help you diagnose misconceptions. Higher-order thinking questions can assess students’ ability to apply mathematical concepts to real-life scenarios and make connections to broader mathematical ideas. Self-reflection questions can help students identify their own strengths and weaknesses and develop a growth mindset. Modeling and visualizing questions can encourage students to think creatively and develop their spatial reasoning skills. Finally, discussion and connection questions can foster a sense of community and help students see the relevance of math to their everyday lives. By mixing up the types of questions you ask, you can get a more comprehensive picture of your students’ understanding and provide targeted support to help them deepen their learning. (National Council of Teachers of Mathematics).

Absentee rates by grade level disaggregated by gender, race, ethnicity, disability status, language status, and economic status. (Council of the Great City Schools).

Average daily attendance. (National Center for Education Statistics).

K-12 chronic absenteeism (California Department of Education & WestEd, Cradle-to-Career Data System Public Data Definitions).

K-12 days of attendance (California Department of Education & WestEd, Cradle-to-Career Data System Public Data Definitions).

K-12 days of expected attendance (California Department of Education & WestEd, Cradle-to-Career Data System Public Data Definitions).

Percentage of students who are present for more than 90% of their enrolled days, excluding students enrolled for fewer than 90 days (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of students with less than 10 absences in a school year (or less than 5 percent of the school year) (National Education Association).

Proportion of K-12 chronically absent students (California Department of Education & WestEd, Cradle-to-Career Data System Public Data Definitions).

Middle grade attendance and GPA provide the best indication of how students will perform in high school classes. These are better indicators than test scores or background characteristics, such as race and neighborhood poverty level, for identifying which students are at risk of failing ninth-grade classes or earning low grades in high school. (5 Key Findings for Middle Grades).

Students who are chronically absent or receiving Fs in the middle grades are at very high risk of being offtrack for graduation in ninth grade, and eventually dropping out of school. These students are already in need of intervention during the middle grades, before they end up failing in high school. Many other students end up off-track in high school, but cannot be identified as at high risk until after they make the transition to high school. (5 Key Findings for Middle Grades).

Improving grades and attendance in the middle grades can have a large pay-off for high school success; even more so than improving test scores. Students who improve their attendance or grades from fifth through eighth grade have better on-track rates, higher grades, and higher test scores in high school than students who start out with the same achievement in fifth grade but do not improve during the middle grades. Modest improvements in attendance or grades from fifth through eighth grade are associated with substantial differences in high school outcomes. (5 Key Findings for Middle Grades).

Prepare children for entry into school through high-quality early care and education experiences, characterized by well-trained staff; low student/staff ratios; safe facilities; and culturally, linguistically, and developmentally appropriate curricula (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Ensure access to preventative health care, especially as children enter school. This may include not only expanding enrollment in children’s health insurance, but also providing children with immunizations and comprehensive screenings (vision, dental, hearing, and developmental delays) (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Offer a high-quality education that responds to the diverse learning styles and needs of students. When the educational experience engages children’s interest and meets their learning needs, families are much more likely to feel that going to school is worthwhile (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Implement early warning systems to identify problems, such as chronic absence, to allow for timely intervention (Alliance for Early Success).

Engage families of all backgrounds in their children’s education. Attendance improves when schools create a wide variety of opportunities for families from all backgrounds to support their child’s learning (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Educate parents about the importance of attendance (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Encourage families to help each other attend school (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Offer incentives for excellent attendance to all children, such as materials (pencils or tows), acknowledgement in class or at morning assembly, extra recess time, opportunities to dress casually if uniforms are required (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Conduct early outreach to families with poor attendance and, if appropriate, case management to address social, medical, economic, and academic needs (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Coordinate public-agency and, if needed, legal response for families in crisis (Annie E. Casey Foundation).

Learner Engagement and Attendance Program (LEAP): A home visiting program that identifies and partners with families to improve student attendance and family engagement (Connecticut Department of Education).

School employs a tiered approach to improving attendance by promoting positive conditions for learning (Attendance Works).

Creating a culture of attendance by taking a positive, not punitive, approach to absenteeism that is centered on belonging and engagement, and helping everyone to understand why daily attendance matters in pre-K through 12th grade (Attendance Works).

States establish standards for accountability, adopt regulations and provide guidance that sets expectations for school districts and schools to achieve (Attendance Works).

States ensure consistent and comparable data across schools and districts by specifying how attendance concepts are defined and offering guidance on how to collect accurate data (Attendance Works).

The U.S. Department of Education collects and reports chronic absence data. States must track chronic absenteeism as a school quality indicator, along with more traditional academic measures for accountability in the Every Student Succeeds Act of 2015 (ESSA) (Attendance Works).

In November 2023, South Dakota offered grants for districts to spend on efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism. Money from the grants will fund transportation; mentoring and tutoring programs; student, family, and community engagement activities. (South Dakota DOE).

Administrators in the 200-student Leola district in South Dakota began investing in Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports, or PBIS, as chronic absenteeism grew during the pandemic. PBIS involves identifying students at high risk of failing or dropping out and developing systems to support them. With a nearly $200,000 grant from the state, the district hired a full-time employee who works with students on credit recovery and develops programming to help reduce absenteeism. The grant also helped pay for three staff members to participate in a “check and connect” mentoring program that pairs adults with students to help them return to regularly attending school. (EdWeek, Why Chronic Absenteeism is a Budget Problem).

Sarah Lenhoff, an associate professor of educational leadership and policy studies at Wayne State University, argues against tying school funding to Average Daily Attendance. Punishing districts where students are chronically absent only makes the problem more likely to recur, Lenhoff says. Instead, she’d prefer to see states require districts to allocate a certain funding amount toward evidence-based programs that address chronic absenteeism. (EdWeek, Why Chronic Absenteeism is a Budget Problem).

Ericka Weathers, an assistant professor of education policy at the University of Pennsylvania, argues against state policies that aim to discourage chronic absenteeism but that might end up exacerbating it. For example, some states have truancy laws that require that students be suspended or that parents go to court or even jail if their children don’t show up to school. Taking children away from school, or taking away the option for parents to take their children to school, could end up costing the district in future years. “If money’s taken away because kids are absent, it’s leaving less money to tackle the problems in a more restorative, preventative, and less reactive approach,” Weathers said. (EdWeek, Why Chronic Absenteeism is a Budget Problem).

Differences in the rates at which students from key demographic subgroups ever experience different forms of school discipline (office referrals, suspensions, expulsions, restraint, and exclusion) relative to those students’ representation in their school population as a whole (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Disproportionalities along the lines of key demographic characteristics in the level of school discipline experienced (for example, number of days suspended) (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of students subjected to disciplinary action in the past year (National Education Association).

Students (K-12) who received one or more in-school suspension: Number of students without disabilities who received one or more in-school suspension [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students (K-12) who received one or more in-school suspension: Number of students with disabilities who received one or more in-school suspension [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students who received one out-of-school suspension: Number of K-12 students without disabilities who received one out-of-school suspension [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students who received one out-of-school suspension: Number of K-12 students with disabilities who received one out-of-school suspension [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students who received more than one out-of-school suspension: Number of K-12 students without disabilities who received more than one out-of-school suspension [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students who received more than one out-of-school suspension: Number of K-12 students with disabilities who received more than one out-of-school suspension [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students (K-12) who were expelled (with educational services; without educational services; because of zero-tolerance policies) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students without disabilities who were expelled (with educational services; without educational services; because of zero-tolerance policies) [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students with disabilities who were expelled (with educational services; without educational services; because of zero-tolerance policies) [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students (K-12) who were transferred for disciplinary reasons to alternative school

Number of students without disabilities who were transferred for disciplinary reasons to alternative school [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students with disabilities who were transferred for disciplinary reasons to alternative school [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL]. (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students who received corporal punishment (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of K-12 students without disabilities who received corporal punishment [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of K-12 students with disabilities who received corporal punishment [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of instances of corporal punishment that K-12 students received (disaggregated by students without disabilities, students with disabilities) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of instances of out-of-school suspensions that K-12 students received (disaggregated by students without disabilities, students with disabilities-IDEA, students with disabilitiesSection 504 only) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of school days missed by K-12 students who received out-of-school suspensions [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-IDEA, disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students (K-12) who were referred to law enforcement agency or official:

Number of students without disabilities who were referred to law enforcement agency or official [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students with disabilities who were referred to law enforcement agency or official [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of instances of referrals to law enforcement that K-12 students received (disaggregated by students without disabilities, students with disabilities-IDEA, students with disabilities-Section 504 only) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students (K-12) who were arrested for school-related activity (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students without disabilities who were arrested for school-related activity [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students with disabilities who were arrested for school-related activity [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL]  (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of instances of school-related arrests that K-12 students received (disaggregated by students without disabilities, students with disabilities-IDEA, students with disabilities-Section 504 only)  (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students (K-12) subjected to mechanical restraint: o Number of non-IDEA students subjected to mechanical restraint [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students with disabilities (IDEA) subjected to mechanical restraint [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students (K-12) subjected to physical restraint (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of non-IDEA students subjected to physical restraint [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students with disabilities (IDEA) subjected to physical restraint [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Students (K-12) subjected to seclusion (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of non-IDEA students subjected to seclusion [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), disability-Section 504 only, EL]  (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Number of students with disabilities (IDEA) subjected to seclusion [disaggregated by race, sex (male, female, nonbinary), EL] (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).Number of instances of mechanical restraint, physical restraint, seclusion (disaggregated by students without disabilities, students with disabilities-IDEA, students with disabilities-Section 504 only) (Civil Rights Data Collection, Office for Civil Rights).

Suspension rates disaggregated by gender, race, ethnicity, disability status, language status, and economic status. (Council of the Great City Schools).

Instructional days missed per 100 students due to suspensions disaggregated by gender, race, ethnicity, disability status, language status, and economic status. (Council of the Great City Schools).

Differences in the rates at which students from key demographic subgroups ever experience different forms of school discipline (office referrals, suspensions, expulsions, restraint and exclusion) relative to those students’ representation in their school population as a whole (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Disproportionalities along the lines of key demographic characteristics in the level of school discipline experienced (for example, number of days suspended) (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

K-12 institution suspension rate (California Department of Education & WestEd, Cradle-to-Career Data System Public Data Definitions).

Schools collect and publicly report demographic data recording behavior and behavioral interventions leading to disciplinary exclusion from school (National Education Association).

Behavioral reasons for discipline (Birth to Grade 3 Indicator Framework).

Discipline equity gaps by student subgroups (Birth to Grade 3 Indicator Framework).

Percent of total instructional time missed (Birth to Grade 3 Indicator Framework).

Suspension, expulsion and overall exclusionary discipline rates and numbers of students impacted (Birth to Grade 3 Indicator Framework).

Schools offer alternatives to traditional behavioral interventions, such as restorative practices (National Education Association).

Schools use Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS) (Results for America).

The Incredible Years: A series of early intervention programs for children ages 3-9 aimed to reduce the prevalence of behavioral and conduct issues (Results for America).

Invest in public health strategies to create safe schools (Center for Policing Equity).

My Brother’s Keeper, a national program reducing exclusionary discipline and promoting equity for young men of color (My Brother’s Keeper Alliance).

Districts allocate resources toward restorative practices (National Education Association).

State policy requires schools to collect and publicly report demographic data recording behavior and behavioral interventions leading to disciplinary exclusion from school. Disciplinary actions include in-school/out-of-school suspensions, expulsions, arrests and referrals to law enforcement (National Education Association).

Policies support the integration of behavioral health services in schools to address underlying issues before they result in disciplinary actions.

Percentage of children who do not experience any of the following: in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, disciplinary use of restraint and seclusion, or expulsions. Although the absence of exclusionary discipline is not a perfect measure of positive behavior, the EW Framework recommends using the proposed metric as the most feasible proxy given the widespread availability of discipline data and their value in predicting future academic outcomes. As a system condition, the EW Framework also recommends monitoring disproportionality in suspensions and other disciplinary actions to address bias (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Percentage of children who often or very often exhibit positive social behaviors when interacting with their peers (Rhode Island Kids Count).

Percentage of students who can function appropriately in group learning activities, participating actively, taking turns, following directions and working cooperatively. (Rhode Island Kids Count).

Percentage of children who do not experience any of the following: in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, disciplinary use of restraint and seclusion, or expulsions (Education-to-Workforce Framework).

Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) Research-based strategies for promoting positive behavior through school-wide interventions (PBIS).

Restorative Justice in Schools: strategies for non-punitive discipline and fostering a positive school climate (National Association of Community and Restorative Justice).

National Center on Safe Supportive Learning Environments offers research and tools on school climate, student behavior, and emotional well-being (NCSSLE).

Explicit and integrated social-emotional skill building for students (CASEL).