Date of Award
2003
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education
Department
Programs for Higher Education
Advisor
Dennis Triplett
Committee Member
James Ann Lynch
Committee Member
Barbara Packer
Keywords
administrators, archival data, discipline referrals, discipline training, fighting, legal issues, middle schools, parental involvement, parents, possession of weapons, probable cause data, safer school environment, School Resource Officers, school safety, school violence, students, supervision, teachers, threats, weapons
Abstract
This report describes a program for reducing the number of discipline referrals for fighting, threats, and possession or use of weapons. The total school population was involved in this intervention program. All middle schools in the school district had 2 School Resource Officers (SRO) on campus to produce a safer school environment. The problem with the discipline referrals was documented through the archival data of discipline referrals from the 2000-2001 school year.
An analysis of probable cause data gathered indicated that low or moderate supervision, lack of parental involvement, and lack of knowledge about writing discipline referrals were factors leading to the problem of the high rate of discipline referrals.
A planned intervention strategy included having the SRO (a) become visible; (b) interact positively with the students; (c) interact with parents; (d) interact with the teachers; and (e) inform teachers, parents, students, and administrators about legal issues. The SRO Program began in August 2001 and ended in May 2002.
The results of the SRO Program revealed minimal decrease in the number of referrals for fighting, threats, and possession or use of weapons. However, the parents, teachers, and students believe they are safer knowing that the SRO are on campus.