School Discipline, Restorative Practices & Budgets

Front

Punitive Justice

Back

Focuses on punishment for breaking rules. Often increases harm + pushes students away from learning.

Front

Restorative Justice

Back

Focuses on repairing harm, meeting needs, restoring relationships. Helps students learn accountability + remain connected to school.

Front

Deterrent

Back

Punishment intended to discourage certain behavior. Doesn’t always address root causes of behavior.

Front

Restitution

Back

Making things right with the people or community harmed. Encourages responsibility + healing.

Front

Senate Bill 100 (Illinois)

Back

A law that limits the use of suspensions/expulsions and encourages restorative approaches. Schools must show they tried other interventions first.

Front

Exclusionary Discipline

Back

Removing students from instruction (suspension, expulsion). Leads to missed learning + disengagement.

Front

Removal from Instruction

Back

Any action that prevents a student from learning in class. Includes class removal, in-school suspension.

Front

Zero-Tolerance Policies

Back

Automatic punishment for certain offenses; no context considered. Example: Fighting = automatic suspension.

Front

Disproportionate Impact

Back

When punishment harms certain groups more (race, disability). Example: Black students receive more suspensions for similar behavior.

Front

Referral

Back

When students are sent to admin or law enforcement. Can escalate into school-to-prison pipeline.