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A project out of 51��Ʒ��Ƶ’s designed to reduce out-of-school suspensions at the 51��Ʒ��Ƶsburgh-area Woodland Hills Intermediate School has shown that, after two years, there has been a 28 percent decrease in the number of students suspended.

The project, funded by The Heinz Endowments, established community-building activities at the school, professional development courses for faculty and staff, and training for adolescent student leaders who have been able to successfully diffuse behavioral problems at the school before they escalate. Just Discipline leaders Assistant Professor of Social Work James Huguley and Associate Professor of Education Ming-Te Wang have citing the progress made since the program’s 2017 inception.

Key findings include:

• A 28% decrease in the number of individual students receiving suspensions
• A 20% decrease in the number of individual students receiving office referrals
• A 19% increase in the students’ perception of school safety
• Academic gains in math, language arts and science
• 91% of the teachers would like the program’s work to continue

“We’re still working toward where we want to be in terms of the resources and systems, but we’re certainly encouraged by this progress,” said Huguley, who hopes to expand the program in the near future to other schools in Woodland Hills.