
The Burlington School District received grant funding in FY12020 from the Department of Children and Families to work towards the primary objective of reducing racial and ethnic disparities in school discipline and suspensions. In partnership with Burlington Community Justice Center and Up for Learning , BSD has formed the Reducing Disparities Team to achieve the following goals:
Goal 1 : Expand the capacity for and use of restorative processes for school discipline to increase restorative outcomes while reducing punitive outcomes.
Goal 2: Reduce rates of youth of color who are suspended, expelled or otherwise referred for school-based discipline.
Goal 3: Engage youth and families in the change process, particularly youth and families of color.
Click here to see the Program Assessment of the DCF Grant to reduce Ethnic and Racial Disparities in Suspension and Disciplinary Actions
Here is just a glimpse of some of the progress that the team has made. For more information about the Reducing Disparities Team please contact equity@bsdvt.org
- Supported by DCF grant funding, onboarded a full time Youth and Family Restorative Liaison to support the implementation of Restorative Practices in the middle schools. 2021-23
- Hired 6 Restorative Practice Specialists 2021-23
- Soft launch of the Restorative Code of Conduct fall 2022
- Launched Peer Mediation Program at Edmunds Middle School 2021-23
- Launched Summer Racial Justice Academy 2021, 2022
- In partnership with Up for Learning created RP/YPAR team at Hunt Middle School 2021-2023
- Launched iSight as new office discipline referral system, fall 2022
- Conducted Parent and Student Focus Groups, Summer 2022
- Created Youth and Family Engagement Team run by Up for Learning and BSD youth facilitators with approx. 25 middle and high school students, parents, school board commissioners and BSD staff
- During the 2021-2022 academic year, the youth and family engagement team identified a key goal: Increase enrollment for BIPOC youth in AP and dual enrollment classes. The action steps we want to take included: 1) Launch a social media campaign #algebraforall 2) Interview high school guidance counselors to assess barriers to enrollment 3) Brainstorm opportunities for BHS Heroes to tutor middle school students in algebra
- 2022-2023 Goals
- Design and facilitate a process for the youth-adult team to explore and foster the core principles of restorative practices.
- Increase a sense of engagement, belonging and voice for youth by creating a culture and practice of youth-adult partnerships for school change.
- Conduct youth participatory action research (YPAR) to expand the use of restorative practices to promote racial/equity justice at BSD
- Create a set of recommendations to reduce the racial and ethnic disparities in suspensions at BSD