CCC Testimony: City Council Oversight Hearing: Student Suspensions

Published November, 2011

CCC testified about the need to dramatically reduce the number of student suspensions in New York City at the November 30, 2011 City Council Education Committee Hearing on student suspensions.

CCC testimony explains that we are troubled by the increased number of children being suspended, and that students of color and students with special needs are more likely than their peers to be suspended. CCC believes it is counterintuitive to remove students from school when successful educational outcomes result from engaging children and youth in school.

CCC’s testimony makes a number of recommendations aimed at decreasing the number of suspensions. These recommendations included:

• Implement culturally competent way, Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) citywide.
• Require individual schools to release their suspension data so that the DOE canlook for trends and provide support to schools as necessary
• Expand the number of schools with school- based mental health services.
• Explore restorative justice models such as youth mediation or youth court, as ways to involve youth in decision-making within their schools.