This week, the Baltimore Sun reported that school suspensions in Baltimore City Public Schools have dropped nearly 20% since the 2015-2016 school year. The drop in suspensions and expulsions – from 8,500 two years ago to 6,800 last school year – comes as the district focuses on student wholeness, a key component to the “Blueprint for Success” released earlier this year. OSI-Baltimore has partnered with the district on student wholeness by helping to integrate principals of restorative practices across the district.
Karen Webber, the director of OSI’s Education and Youth Development program, who led the integration process believes that suspension will drop further as the district continues to integrate and emphasize restorative practices.
“This is not a zero-tolerance district,” she told the Sun. “This is a restorative district.”
According to Webber, leadership is key to the success of the program. “We have a CEO who is embedded in the community,” she said, “ensuring that school climates are what they should be so teaching and learning can happen.”
The Blueprint for Success focuses on three key areas: literacy, staff leadership and student wholeness. Access the entire report here.
