Doreen Lohnes, Assistant Superintendent, Support Services
Heidi Cisneros, Executive Director, Pupil Support Services
Dr. Sonia Llamas, Director, School Climate
Orlando Navarro, Program Specialist, Student Assistance Programs and School Climate
What is a Multi-Tiered System of Support?
Academics
Behavior
• Student is provided intense
instructional support for students with
the greatest needs
• School provides instructional
support, usually in small groups
• All students receive
high quality education.
• Student centered planning is utilized to
develop customized interventions
Individualized
Groups
School-Wide
• School provides targeted behavioral
skill interventions
• All students are taught positive
behavioral expectations
• All teachers use consistent
approach to discipline
California Education Code 48900.5
 48900.5. (a) Suspension, including supervised suspension as described in Section 48911.1, shall be imposed only when other
means of correction fail to bring about proper conduct. A school district may document the other means of correction used and place
that documentation in the pupil's record, which may be accessed pursuant to Section 49069. However, a pupil, including an individual
with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 56026, may be suspended, subject to Section 1415 of Title 20 of the United States
Code, for any of the reasons enumerated in Section 48900 upon a first offense, if the principal or superintendent of schools
determines that the pupil violated subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 48900 or that the pupil's presence causes a danger to
persons.
 (b) Other means of correction include, but are not limited to, the following:
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(1) A conference between school personnel, the pupil's parent or guardian, and the pupil.
(2) Referrals to the school counselor, psychologist, social worker, child welfare attendance personnel, or other school support service personnel for case
management and counseling.
(3) Study teams, guidance teams, resource panel teams, or other intervention-related teams that assess the behavior, and develop and implement individualized
plans to address the behavior in partnership with the pupil and his or her parents.
(4) Referral for a comprehensive psychosocial or psycho educational assessment, including for purposes of creating an individualized education program, or a
plan adopted pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)).
(5) Enrollment in a program for teaching pro-social behavior or anger management.
(6) Participation in a restorative justice program.
(7) A positive behavior support approach with tiered interventions that occur during the school day on campus.
(8) After-school programs that address specific behavioral issues or expose pupils to positive activities and behaviors, including, but not limited to, those
operated in collaboration with local parent and community groups.
(9) Any of the alternatives described in Section 48900.6.
California Education Code 48900.5
 48900.5. (a) Suspension, including supervised suspension as described in Section 48911.1, shall be imposed only when other
means of correction fail to bring about proper conduct. A school district may document the other means of correction used and place
that documentation in the pupil's record, which may be accessed pursuant to Section 49069. However, a pupil, including an individual
with exceptional needs, as defined in Section 56026, may be suspended, subject to Section 1415 of Title 20 of the United States
Code, for any of the reasons enumerated in Section 48900 upon a first offense, if the principal or superintendent of schools
determines that the pupil violated subdivision (a), (b), (c), (d), or (e) of Section 48900 or that the pupil's presence causes a danger to
persons.
 (b) Other means of correction include, but are not limited to, the following:






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(1) A conference between school personnel, the pupil's parent or guardian, and the pupil.
(2) Referrals to the school counselor, psychologist, social worker, child welfare attendance personnel, or other school support service personnel for case
management and counseling.
(3) Study teams, guidance teams, resource panel teams, or other intervention-related teams that assess the behavior, and develop and implement individualized
plans to address the behavior in partnership with the pupil and his or her parents.
(4) Referral for a comprehensive psychosocial or psycho educational assessment, including for purposes of creating an individualized education program, or a
plan adopted pursuant to Section 504 of the federal Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. Sec. 794(a)).
(5) Enrollment in a program for teaching pro-social behavior or anger management.
(6) Participation in a restorative justice program.
(7) A positive behavior support approach with tiered interventions that occur during the school day on campus.
(8) After-school programs that address specific behavioral issues or expose pupils to positive activities and behaviors, including, but not limited to, those
operated in collaboration with local parent and community groups.
(9) Any of the alternatives described in Section 48900.6.
What are Restorative Practices (RP)?
 “Restorative Practices are a framework for building community and for
responding to challenging behavior through authentic dialogue, coming to
understanding, and making things right.”
 When conflict occurs…
 Victims and wrongdoers work together to repair the harm caused
 RP encourages dialogue between the victim and offender and emphasizes values of empathy, respect, honesty,
acceptance, responsibility and accountability
 Why RP?
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Effectively addresses behavior and school issues
Helps promote a supportive environment
Improves safety on campus
Improves attendance
Decreases school violence
Offers positive alternatives to suspension and expulsion
Two Facets to Restorative Practices
 Restorative Practices focuses on:
 Tier 1: Building Relationships and social-emotional skills (Community Building)
 Tier 2: Non-punitive responding to harm/conflict (Responsive Circles)
 Tier 3: Individual support (Restorative Conferencing)
 Restorative Practices:
 Responding to discipline:
 using a solutions approach, not consequence approach
 Pro-active restorative strategies include:
 Staff greets students at the door
 Adults use affective language and statements
 Communicate with parents to share successes
 Adults maintain respect for the individual and not the behavior
 Adults become “silent mentors” (2 x 10 strategy)
 Facilitate classroom circles to discuss school work, concerns, current events, etc.
Affective Statements
 Affective Statements are expressions of personal feelings, both positive and negative.
 The sharing of emotions or “getting real” is what makes it possible to improve relationships in a school community.
 Use “I” statements that express your feelings.
 Example:
 “I feel frustrated when people are talking when I am trying to teach. It makes me feel like the time I spent
preparing this lesson was wasted and is not appreciated.”
 Affective statements are not intended to shame or vent personal stressors, but to develop
empathy, establish boundaries and provide authentic observation
Restorative Practices Continuum
Informal
Affective
Statements
Formal
Restorative
Questions
Less Time
Less Planning
Less Impact
Pro-active
Circles
Responsive
Circles
Restorative
Conferences
More Time
More Planning
More Impact
3 Basic Restorative Questions
 Traditional Discipline Asks:
 Restorative Justice asks:
1. What rule was broken?
1. Who was harmed?
2. Who broke it?
2. What are the needs and
responsibilities of those affected?
3. What punishment does the offender
deserve?
3. How can all affected parties work
together to address needs and repair
harm?
Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS)
Restorative Practices
PBIS
Tier 3 Practices
Tier 3 Practices
• Restorative Conferencing
Intensive
Interventions
Tier 2 Practices
Tier 2 Practices
• Affective Statements
• Restorative Dialogue
• Responsive Circles
Targeted Interventions
Tier 1 Practices
• Affective language
• Restorative dialogue
• Community circles
• Individualized services for students
• Positive behavior plan
• On-going support
• Targeted support
• Skill building groups
• Check-in/check-out (CICO)
Tier 1 Practices
School-wide Prevention
• School-wide norms
• Expectations positively reinforced
RP Circles
 Community Circles (Tier 1)
 Builds community amongst peers by discussing topics where
students are encouraged to share their opinions.
 Responsive Circles (Tier 2)
 Used in response to conflict/harm
 Restorative Conferencing (Tier 3)
 Used to address immediate concerns/offenses
 Joven Noble (Curriculum) (Tier 1)
 Culturally centered, character development program for young males
Community Circles (Tier 1)
 Community Circles
 Used in the classrooms and clubs to address school and classroom concerns, projects, current events
 Ex. Addressing school-wide tardiness, school-wide bullying, social media, group projects, recent events of importance, etc.
 The focal point of Community Circles
 Creates a space for building community as students with diverse values and experiences to discuss topics amongst
peers. The circle seeks to create a better understanding of the topic by engaging in a constructive dialogue.
 Structure:
 Mandatory: Circle Keeper (teacher), students,
 Optional : Counselor, administrator, support staff, teachers aide
 Tier 1: Community Building Circle
 In Community Circles, keep the dialogue at a non-intensive level. However, If a student
decides to share something deep and the circle becomes emotional, re-direct the
conversation and speak to the student after the circle.
Restorative Circles (Tier 2)
 Restorative Circles
 Used to address conflict and discipline incidents involving students and/or staff.
 Ex. Classroom disruption, bullying, fighting, school violence, cyber bullying, etc.
 The focal point for Restorative Circles
 All students involved in conflict and discipline incidents are given the opportunity to take responsibility for their
actions and their voices to be heard.
 All parties work together in circle to repair the harm caused and make things right
 The participants in a Restorative Circle
 Mandatory: Circle keeper, students, counselor
 Optional: Parents, administrator, teachers, support staff.
 Depends on the conflict/incident
Restorative Conference (Tier 3)
 Restorative Conferences
 Used for addressing serious offenses/criminal activity
 Used for students who are returning from suspensions or new students with a record
 Used to address immediate concerns of students who have not responded to Tier 1-2 interventions
 Ex. Drug use, poor attendance, tagging, fighting, violence, etc.
 The focal point of a Restorative Conference
 Student is given the opportunity to share and listen to everyone in the circle with respect and empathy.
 Student is held accountable for offense.
 A plan is generated in circle where each adult takes on a task to assist the student in adjusting to becoming a better
overall student.
 The participants in a Restorative Conference
 Mandatory: Circle Keeper, student, parents, administrator, teachers, counselor, support staff, community members,
friend
 Re-Entry Circle
Joven Noble (Tier 1)
 Joven Noble (10 week curriculum)
 Focuses on youth development, support and leadership.
 Joven Noble addresses
 Character development
 Promotion of healthy relationships
 Prevention of community violence
 Goal setting.
 The focal point of Joven Noble
 Students are given the opportunity to learn about their morals,
development, prevention of violence and goal setting through a
communicative curriculum.
 The participants in Joven Noble
 Circle keeper, students, co-circle keeper (optional)
 Joven Noble is most effective when there are no more than 12 students per circle keeper
Students are happier, more productive and
more likely to make positive changes in their behavior
when those in the positions of authority do things WITH them,
rather than TO them or FOR them.
Ted Wachtel
Founder of the International Institute for Restorative Practices
FOR MORE QUESTIONS
PLEASE CONTACT:
Orlando Navarro
714-433-3481
orlando.navarro@sausd.us