changing
disciplinary
practices to improve
academic outcomes

Exclusionary, punitive practices like out-of-school suspension disproportionately impact male students of color, a nationwide pattern that holds true in Bexar County, Texas. Data links these punitive approaches with challenges in academic achievement, future employment, physical and behavioral health, and income.

In Texas, 83% of Black male students experience exclusionary punishment between seventh and 12th grade. Two Bexar County districts rank among the top 10 Texas public school districts with the biggest racial disparity of instruction lost to out-of-school suspensions.

StriveTogether Cradle to Career Network member UP Partnership is replacing exclusionary discipline with restorative practices. Founded in 2009, the San Antonio-based nonprofit serves as a backbone organization that partners with 500 leaders across eight sectors of early childhood, pre-K-12, postsecondary education, youth development, workforce, justice, funders, corporate partners and local government.

In the first year of restorative practices, one school district saw an immediate decline in disciplinary incidents and the trend continued holding steady at a 70% decline in February 2020. Even through a pandemic, 20 campuses signed up to explore restorative justice practices.

The goal is to replace the school-to-prison pipeline with a school-to-college pipeline.