Miami-Dade schools make discipline beneficial, not punitive, for students

It is quite simple. If children are not in school they cannot learn. There is no substitute for consistent and structured classroom instruction, which is why creating alternatives to outdoor suspension is critical. While teachers, parents and education stakeholders all agree that school discipline and a structured learning environment are fundamental to instruction and classroom management, keeping children who exhibit disruptive behaviors out of school, thus depriving them the opportunity to grow academically, is never an option.

According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, of the 49 million students enrolled in public schools in 2011-12, 3.5 million were suspended in-school and 3.45 million were suspended out-of-school. Not as stark, but just as troubling, 130,000 students were expelled from school during the same year. Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) is doing its part to reverse these staggering numbers.

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