Preventing School Disciplinary Incidents through Interagency Collaborations in Middle School: A Mixed-Methods Study

Purpose:

School disciplinary practices in the United States exclude a large percentage of young people from the learning process each year. This study examined the effects of an interagency school-based collaboration that provided additional staff, support, and a service-learning curriculum to prevent school disciplinary incidents for seventh grade students in a low-income, urban middle school in the Midwest. This study asked the following research questions: 1) What are the strengths and challenges of using an interagency collaboration to deliver a service learning program to all seventh grade students, and 2) Can this type of partnership reduce school disciplinary incidents?

Methods:

The collaboration included a local university, a community organization, and two middle schools. The intervention, Wyman’s Teen Outreach Program, was facilitated by university masters of social work students to all seventh graders within social studies classes at the intervention school. Students in the control group received regular social studies curriculum. The study included 112 students (75.6%) from the intervention school and 106 students (70.2%) from the control school (total N=218). There were no significant differences in gender, race, or living situation between each sample of students. Both school samples were mostly female (56.3% to 60.4%) and African American (85% to 95%).

Students were asked to report the frequency of school disciplinary events at baseline and after the intervention. Interviews and focus groups from student and adults (teachers, administrators, and facilitators) asked about the strengths and challenges of partnership model. Qualitative data were coded using a grounded theoretical framework. Logistic regression analyses examined the likelihood of participating in negative school behaviors, such as skipping class without permission, becoming suspended, or failing courses, while controlling for demographic factors.

Results:

Though there were no significant differences in problem behaviors reported at baseline, by the end of the intervention, compared to students in the control school, students who participated in the service learning intervention indicated they were 69% less likely to be suspended (p < .05, χ²= 44.51, β = -1.17, OR: .31 [.13-.73]); 72% less likely to skip class (p < .05, χ²= 20.97, β = -1.28, OR: .28 [.1-.76]), and 83% less likely to report failing grades (p < .05, χ²= 49.31, β = -1.76, OR: .17 [.07-.42]), while controlling for parent’s education, household structure, and gender.

Qualitative results indicate improved relationships, increased student engagement, and decreased disciplinary concerns. Sharing classroom space for teachers and facilitators, although initially challenging, improved communication, enhancing the classroom culture. Analyses also indicate that facilitators struggled with classroom management, but felt that increased communication with teachers helped alleviate this issue.

Conclusions and Implications:

This study demonstrates that interagency collaborations can provide additional resources, personnel, and expertise in delivering interventions to prevent school disciplinary events, such as school suspensions, skipping class without permission, and failing courses. Providing training for teachers on the intervention and acclimating facilitators to the school culture can enhance the success of the intervention. Vulnerable schools with limited resources can benefit from interagency collaborations if these efforts are well-designed and supported by school leadership.