Some education researchers advocate for teacher training programs, such as the My Teacher Partner Secondary program, which encourages them to reflect on their teaching models. One study showed that teachers who participated in this program were less likely to have a disproportionate amount of discipline referrals for students of color compared to teachers who did not participate in this program. 

University of Michigan - Ann Arbor

Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS), Restorative Justice, and teacher training programs are all seen as viable alternatives to the zero tolerance policy.

Alternatives to the Zero Tolerance Policy

U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, “Beyond Suspensions: Examining School Discipline Policies and Connections to the School-to-Prison Pipeline for Students of Color with Disabilities” by Catherine E. Lhamon, July 2019, https://www.usccr.gov/files/pubs/2019/07-23-Beyond-Suspensions.pdf


Beyond Suspensions: Examining School Discipline Policies and Connections to the School-to-Prison Pipeline for Students of Color with Disabilities

The Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) method is a set of strategies and techniques used to establish the guidelines of desired behavioral expectations for students. If a child exhibits negative behavior, instructors are encouraged to provide students with constructive feedback about expected behavior, and address them with a positive statement or correction instead of using a punitive method. 

Positive Behavior Intervention and Support

Restorative justice focuses on repairing relations between two parties, where they work together to arrive at an agreed upon solution. Because instructors are not enforcing punitive measures on either party, restorative justice shifts behavioral discipline from punishment to learning. 

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