Making Your School a Place Where
Everyone Wants to Be!
Karen Webber-Ndour
Office of Student Support and Safety
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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S U S P E N S I O N S
D E C L I N E D B Y 2 4 %
I N 2 0 1 3 , A N A L L -
T I M E L O W
2004 2007 2011 2012
NOTE: Counts show total # of out-of-school suspensions in the District.
SOURCE: Official MSDE files except 2013; NOTE: *2013 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
Baltimore City Public Schools
2013*

Greater % reduction in total # of suspensions happened at the schools that received Climate Training
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NOTE: Rates show % change in suspension counts from SY1112 to SY1213*
SOURCE: Official MSDE files except SY1213; NOTE: *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
Baltimore City Public Schools

Students Who Have Been Suspended Scored Lower on Tests
2013 MSA
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MATH READING
N =
31,471 2,009 893
No
Suspensions
1 Suspension
2+
Suspensions
NOTE: *SY1213 suspension data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
NOTE: Beginning in 2009, Mod-MSA was reported with MSA totals
Baltimore City
31,516
No
Suspensions
Public Schools
2,021
1 Suspension
901
2+
Suspensions
NOTE: Ns refer to the total number of students who took the MSA

Baltimore City Public Schools 6

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Positive relationships are critical to creating a positive school climate:



Adult to Adult
Adult to Student
Student to Student
Baltimore City Public Schools

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 The Principal sets the tone for the quality of relationships in the entire school.
 Continuous, transparent communication among adults establishes trust and safety.
 Once the adults are clear on the expectations, they can convey uniform expectations to their students.
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

“Attacks on Staff” suspensions decreased in all grades, except
PK &K
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1-year YTD change
#
-82
%
-8.6%
1-year YTD change
#
+13
%
20.0%
1-year YTD change
#
-62
%
-13.6%
1-year YTD change
#
-31
%
-10.6%
1-year YTD change
#
-2
%
-1.4%
NOTE: Counts show total # of out-of-school suspensions by grade band for “Attacks on Staff” in the District; “Attacks on Staff” are identified as Offense Code 401
SOURCE: Official MSDE files except SY1213; NOTE: *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
Baltimore City Public Schools

Almost 70% of the SY1213 Suspensions Occurred in
Classrooms, Hallways, and Stairwells
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NOTE: *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
SOURCE: Unofficial SMS
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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Research indicates students who experience positive teacher-student relationships:
 Receive higher grades and show higher levels of classroom participation
 Demonstrate higher levels of social competence and appropriate behavior in the classroom
 Display higher levels of participation, comfort, enjoyment, and acceptance by their peers
 Have higher school attendance
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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We have to have an expectation that students will be respectful to one another:
“In schools without supportive norms, structures, and relationships, students are more likely to experience violence, peer victimization, and punitive disciplinary actions, often accompanied by high levels of absenteeism and reduced academic achievement.”
( Astor, Guerra, & Van Acker, 2010)
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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Teaching and learning represents one of the most important dimensions of school climate. MSDE recognizes the connection between climate and teaching and learning in the following statement.
 “No student comes to school “perfect,” academically or behaviorally. We do not throw away the imperfect or difficult student…Every student who stays in school and graduates, college and career ready, adds to the health and wealth of the State of
Maryland and improves the global competitiveness of this country. It is that simple. It is that important. It is all connected.”
Source: “School Discipline and Academic Success: Related Parts of Maryland’s Education Reform,” Report of the Maryland
State Board of Education. July 2012.
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

Suspensions for “soft” offenses declined by over
32%
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1-year YTD change
#
-951
%
-32.3%
1-year YTD change
#
-1,791
%
-21.2%
NOTE: Counts show total # of out-of-school suspensions in the District for each severity level. “Soft” offenses = disrespect, insubordination, classroom disruption and refusal to obey school policies.
SOURCE: Official MSDE files except 2013; NOTE: *2013 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
Baltimore City Public Schools

Greater % reduction in “soft offense” suspensions happened at the schools that received Climate Training
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1-year YTD change
#
-384
%
-39.0%
1-year YTD change
#
-567
%
-29.0%
NOTE: Counts show total # of out-of-school suspensions for “soft” offenses in the District. “Soft” offenses = disrespect, insubordination, classroom disruption and refusal to obey school policies.
SOURCE: Official MSDE files except SY1213; NOTE: *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

Over 57% of the SY1213 Suspensions were for Violent
Offenses
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27,3%
24,9%
Fighting
Physical Attack (Student)
Physical Attack (Adult)
Inciting/Participating in
Disturbance
Other Violent Offenses
5,3%
14,2%
Refusal to obey School
Policies
Classroom Disruption
10,0%
1,1%
7,1%
10,1% Other
NOTE: Offenses shown are the 6 most frequent offenses plus “other”; *SY1213 data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
SOURCE: Unofficial SMS
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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“There is sufficient research to state without equivocation that the building in which students spends a good deal of their time learning does in fact influence how well they learn” (Earthman, G 2004:18).
 Building is clean and well-maintained, regardless of physical condition
 Common areas and classrooms are welcoming, well-lit and clutter free
 Student Achievement is prominently displayed (see 90/90/ 90 article for more information)
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools

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W H E N A S T U D E N T I S A B S E N T F O R M O R E T H A N 2 0
D A Y S O F S C H O O L , R E G A R D L E S S O F T H E R E A S O N .
Baltimore City Public Schools

Chronic Absence Rates Across Grade Bands
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NOTE: Data includes AOP Schools but NOT AOP Programs
DATA SOURCE: MSDE Official files
Baltimore City Public Schools

Chronically Absent Students Scored Lower on Tests
2013 MSA
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MATH READING
N =
28,994 4,811
Not Chronically Absent Chronically Absent
NOTE: *SY1213 attendance data are preliminary, unofficial, and subject to change
NOTE: Beginning in 2009, Mod-MSA was reported with MSA totals
Baltimore City
29,013
Not Chronically Absent
Public Schools
4,856
Chronically Absent
NOTE: Ns refer to the total number of students who took the MSA

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Family responsibility
(elementary grades)
Students vote with their feet (secondary grades)
School climate issues
Child is struggling academically
Child is afraid before, during and/or after school
Lack of access to adequate health care
Economic hardship, family disruption, mental health problems
Poor transportation/ distance to school
Suspension
Dr. Robert Balfanz of Johns Hopkins University, provided the framework which has been altered by City Schools.
Baltimore City Public Schools

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
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Build a strong school climate
Designate a staff member to track data and lead the attendance improvement plan
Support teachers and staff in implementing attendance strategies
Make sure families and community members feel welcome
Use the student support team to address attendance issues
Baltimore City Public Schools

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 Warmly welcome students back to class after absences – and make a special inquiry about their well being
 Call, email, and/or write students ’ parents after every absence where practicable
 Please connect students who are absent due to personal difficulties with the appropriate resource.
 Accurately enter attendance into SMS on a daily basis
 Refer students with high levels of absences to SST
Baltimore City Public Schools

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Baltimore City Public Schools 37