Student discipline: a prosocial perspective

The foundation for a safe school rests on the creation of a healthy school climate, a caring community where students feel safe and relationships facilitate prosocial growth as well as academic learning. A balance of structure and support is essential, and requires an organized, schoolwide approach that is practiced by all school personnel. Codes of student conduct that rest on core ethical values rather than just rules and punishment are a start. Recognizing that teachers are moral educators and schools model expectations for citizenship undergirds the prosocial school.

From PBIS and restorative justice to mindfulness and the importance of play, from academic integrity to peer group support, we examine the science and evidence-informed programs that support a prosocial approach to school discipline. Eight schools from across the country that have struggled and learned to be beacons of prosocial school approaches are highlighted through summaries and links to their stories. Proactive responses to the U.S. Department of Education's Guiding Principles on School Discipline are provided by education law experts from the National School Climate Center and the New Jersey Principal’s and Supervisor’s Association.