Welcome to the Colorado Department of Education School Laws and Suspension or Expulsion training course! This course will discuss how school laws apply to discipline processes.
During this course, you will learn how to:
- Outline the full trajectory of formal school discipline, from suspension through expulsion and appeal.
- Articulate the legal grounds for the use of suspension or expulsion from school.
- Identify the key components of legally compliant expulsion hearings, including those for students with disabilities.
- Identify key resources to review, incorporate, and refer back to.
- Discern what to do in the event you identify an issue with legal compliance.
- Consider the role mindsets play in discipline decisions, including those during the expulsion process.
This course will take you approximately 2 hours to complete.
Contact Jen Gallegos, CDE Dropout Prevention Specialist, with questions: gallegos_j@cde.state.co.us
Welcome to the Colorado Department of Education Avoiding Conflicts of Interest and Bias in School Discipline training course! This course will equip you with the necessary skills to recognize personal conflicts of interest, understand the importance of recusing yourself from discipline incidents, and implement strategies to minimize bias.
It is crucial for school and district administrators to consider and understand conflicts of interest and bias when it comes to student discipline. These factors can significantly impact the fairness and effectiveness of disciplinary actions. Conflicts of interest may lead to favoritism or unfair treatment, undermining trust in the disciplinary process. Bias, whether conscious or unconscious, can result in disproportionate punishments for certain groups of students, perpetuating inequities and harming the school community's overall climate.
By actively recognizing and addressing these issues,
administrators can ensure a more just and equitable environment for all
students, fostering trust and promoting a positive educational experience.
During this course, you will:
1. Identify when you have a conflict of interest
2. Acknowledge when you cannot assist in a discipline incident due to a
conflict of interest
3. Reduce the impact of bias to help ensure fairness and equity in the
discipline process
Contact Jen Gallegos, CDE Dropout Prevention Specialist, with questions: gallegos_j@cde.state.co.us
Welcome to the Colorado Department of Education Best Practices for Discipline training for administrators! This course will discuss best practices for discipline and alternatives to expulsion. It is intended to help administrators who lead the development and implementation of behavior and discipline systems.
It is important for school administrators to understand the critical elements of effective school discipline, best practices for responding to challenging behavior, and alternatives to suspension and expulsion. These tools are necessary to create a safe and inclusive learning environment for all students. When schools clearly define expectations, respond effectively to challenging behavior, and use alternatives to suspension and expulsion when appropriate, it helps students feel valued, respected, and supported, and classrooms and schools have stronger environments for learning. By focusing on these key elements, schools can reduce disparities in discipline outcomes and ensure all students have the opportunities and support they need to succeed.
During this course, you will:
- Articulate key elements of effective school discipline.
- Identify best practices for responding to challenging behavior.
- Identify alternatives to suspension and expulsion and how to gauge the appropriateness of those alternatives.
Contact Jen Gallegos, CDE Dropout Prevention Specialist, with questions: gallegos_j@cde.state.co.us
Welcome to the Colorado Department of Education Trauma-Informed Practices in School Discipline training course! This course will discuss what trauma is, how it affects brain development in adolescents, and how trauma-informed practices can be used in discipline incidents.
During this course, you will:
- Articulate what trauma is, how it impacts life functions, and how it can appear in school.
- Define trauma-informed practices that promote understanding, recognizing, and responding to the effects of trauma.
- Demonstrate awareness of how student behaviors may be a result of past or current trauma exposure.
- Recognize the essential role of trauma-informed practices throughout every process.
This course will take approximately 45 minutes.
Contact Jen Gallegos, CDE Dropout Prevention Specialist, with questions: gallegos_j@cde.state.co.us
Welcome to the Colorado Department of Education Restorative Discipline Practices training course! This course will discuss how to have a restorative mindset and how to implement restorative discipline practices.
This course provides an overview of the restorative approach to discipline. You will gain a deeper understanding of restorative principles, their benefits, and their integration into different stages of the discipline process.
This information is essential for administrators as it provides them with the necessary knowledge, skills, and understanding to effectively implement restorative justice practices within the discipline process, leading to better outcomes for students and the school community. While it is incredible to do this work in a state that defines and encourages these practices in statute, this definition does not fully encapsulate the essence of being restorative. Let's explore this further.
During this course, you will learn how to:
- Articulate what it means to be restorative as a pro-active approach and as a response to behavior.
- Reflect on how best practices can be used for implementing a restorative approach to discipline.
- Identify where restorative justice practices could be used within the discipline process.
This course will take approximately 30 minutes to complete.
Contact Jen Gallegos, CDE Dropout Prevention Specialist, with questions: gallegos_j@cde.state.co.us
This course introduces school administrators to the foundational principles of brain development, starting with exploring key terminology and developmental phases. Understanding these concepts is critical for comprehending the intricate journey of brain growth from infancy through adolescence. We will explore how the maturing brain influences students' decision-making capabilities and learning processes. This course connects theory with practical application by linking brain development stages to observable student behaviors. By making this connection, administrators can more accurately interpret behaviors and tailor support mechanisms to foster a nurturing learning environment.
In this course, you will learn the comparative analysis of brain development across different age groups, emphasizing the diversity in growth patterns and the educational implications of these differences. This course is tailored for administrators dedicated to enhancing the educational journey for children and adolescents and looking to deepen their understanding of the biological foundations that influence learning and student behavior.
During this course, you will:
- Define key terms and developmental phases of brain development.
- Articulate how brain development may impact student decision-making and learning.
- Connect brain development to behavioral actions.
- Compare brain development at various states and ages.
Contact Jen Gallegos, CDE Dropout Prevention Specialist, with questions: gallegos_j@cde.state.co.us
- Have a preponderance of evidence.
- Provide all evidence in advance.
- Create a report with findings of facts and recommendations.
- Entertain appeals from students who are denied admission or expelled.
Expulsion hearing officers must attend an initial five-hour and additional annual training to stay informed on school discipline updates. As part of this training, you will review separate modules that will cover:
- Child and adolescent brain development
- Restorative Justice
- Alternatives to expulsion
- Trauma-informed practices
- Conflict and bias in discipline, suspension, and expulsion
- The requirements and implementation of applicable federal and state laws
Contact Jen Gallegos, CDE Dropout Prevention Specialist, with questions: gallegos_j@cde.state.co.us
The seven modules in this course will introduce district and school teams to the revised Dropout Prevention Framework. The course is intended to support Colorado practitioners with access to the Dropout Prevention Framework content and connect that content to their ongoing practice.
The course will:
- Develop a solid foundation of the framework
- Explore the dropout prevention strategies
- Connect the revised framework to implementation