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The Commission, in partnership with the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), sponsored two Local Workshops on School-Justice Partnerships with funding from The Atlantic Philanthropies, DCJS and the New York State Juvenile Justice Advisory Group.

The Commission and DCJS distributed a request for applications for two no cost workshops that included a description of the workshops and detailed the application process. Since the school-justice connection involves not only courts and schools but also many other government and community agencies and organizations, businesses, students and families, the Workshops required a multi-systems and multi-disciplinary team approach in focusing on keeping kids in school and out of court.

Local Workshops

The Workshop topics reflect emerging findings from research and newly released data; the demonstrated strategies associated with effective programs, policies and practices; and the legislation and laws that have evolved with the increasing understanding of the consequences associated with exclusionary discipline and court involvement.

• School Arrest Diversion—Memorandum of Agreement Workshop
  (November 12-13, 2014)

  Judge Steven Teske, Chief Judge, Juvenile Court, Clayton County, GA, and his team – School Superintendent, Chief of Police for Schools, Administrator of the Clayton County System of Care, Chief of Staff of Juvenile Court, and Applied Leadership Network Leader for Juvenile Detention Alternatives Initiative – worked with stakeholders to organize and create a plan to develop a written agreement that will reduce school referrals to court. The team also worked with stakeholders to develop a plan of building a collective impact system unique to their community that is the "bridge" between the school system and community providers to refer chronically disruptive students for assessment and services to reduce student misbehavior and promote the likelihood of graduation.

• School Climate Workshop
  (November 19-20, 2014)

  Richard Cardillo, Director of Education, and Jessica Savage, Esq., Policy and Legal Director, at the National School Climate Center worked with stakeholders to organize and create a plan to address these questions: Are you and your students eager to come to school each day? Do they feel safe and engaged in learning and school life? Does your school measure and recognize the social, emotional and civic dimensions of learning? Do you use school climate data to build community, shape implementation efforts, and promote safe and ‘connected’ schools?

The workshops brought together teams from across the state to focus on policy changes that will encourage the development of safe, respectful and supportive learning environments while holding students accountable for their behavior and reserving the use of punitive measures—including school suspension, summons and arrest—for the most egregious cases; and address the over-representation of Black students and students receiving special education services of school suspensions and arrests.