Department of Education, Training and Employment

Great teachers = Great resultsA direct action plan for Queensland schoolsAction 15

Strengthening Discipline in Queensland State Schools

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IntroductionOn 8 April 2013, the Queensland Government announced the Great teachers = Great results direct action plan. Strengthening discipline in Queensland state schools is identified as a key area for reform in this action plan:

Action 15: We will enhance discipline powers across the state schooling system and develop and implement an action plan to strengthen discipline in state schools.

From 2014

• Anactionplanforstrengtheneddisciplinewillbeimplementedinstateschools,andnewbehaviourcontractswillbeintroducedwithstudentsandtheirfamilies.

•Principalswillhavegreaterdisciplinepowers,andsuspensionsandexclusionprocesseswillbestreamlined.

•Alternativeschoolenvironmentswillbeusedforstudentswithchronicbehaviourconcerns.

School discipline is an important component of a high quality education system. Children and young people need self-discipline as part of their social development and to achieve their academic and personal goals.

The Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) is committed to ensuring that every day, in every lesson, every student in state schooling is learning and achieving within a safe, supportive, inclusive, disciplined and positive learning environment. The StrengtheningDisciplineinQueenslandStateSchoolsActionPlan (Action Plan) outlines the implementation strategy for Action 15 in Great teachers = Great results.

The Action Plan affirms the position of principals as leaders of school communities and provides them with greater autonomy and greater flexibility. It gives principals increased flexibility to act at their discretion in ways appropriate to the needs of their local community. This is balanced with clear expectations for strong, fair and consistent approaches. It also enables principals to use a wider range of strategies to improve discipline before resorting to measures such as suspension and exclusion. There is an expectation that the number of suspensions and exclusions will reduce as the strategies outlined in the Action Plan are implemented.

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The reformsStatus before the reforms Result of the reforms

Discipline processes in the Education (GeneralProvision)Act2006 (EGPA) and departmental policies were highly prescriptive. Excessive red tape discouraged principals from responding to problem behaviour in flexible and innovative ways.

Red tape has been cut and processes streamlined. Processes have been removed from the EGPA to give principals greater flexibility. Policy describes only processes essential for ensuring the safety and wellbeing of students and providing natural justice.

Schools were unable to tailor their approach to discipline to their local needs. There was over-prescription of structure and content in policy and legislation, for example the Responsible Behaviour Plan for Students.

The legislative requirement for behaviour plans has been removed from the EGPA, enabling a principal to develop a plan in consultation with their local community that meets local needs.

The EGPA did not provide principals with the necessary authority to develop a broad range of alternative strategies to address early signs of disruptive or challenging behaviour.

Legislation has been amended to include a broad head of power1. The broad head of power provides a clear statement of a principal’s power to develop and implement a wider range of disciplinary measures.

Families were often not involved in developing solutions or implementing proactive plans to address their child’s inappropriate behaviour. They were often not held accountable for their child’s behaviour at school.

A DisciplineImprovementPlan is a new disciplinary strategy available to principals. A DisciplineImprovementPlan encourages collaboration with students and their parents2. A DisciplineImprovementPlan outlines the expected behaviours and any strategies to improve behaviour such as regular attendance or participating in a social skills program.

The EGPA limited detentions to 20 minutes during school lunch recess or 30 minutes after the school day. This did not allow flexibility for school communities to make their own decisions about detentions.

Prescription for detention has been removed from the EGPA. Principals have greater autonomy to apply detention as a meaningful consequence that matches the student’s behaviour. The power to conduct detentions is provided for in the broad head of power to strengthen principals’ powers.

Principals had insufficient disciplinary options to help them apply meaningful consequences and improve student behaviour.

Community Service Interventions are a new strategy which principals can use to strengthen student discipline. This strategy provides an opportunity to engage with the community and with families. Participation requires parental and student consent.

Schools have experienced new and complex challenges in managing discipline from Prep through to Year 12.

Between July 2013 and December 2014, Discipline Audits are being conducted in all state schools. Evidence-based approaches are required from the earliest stages of schooling and the audits provide an opportunity for schools to measure their performance and develop best practice strategies.

Lengthy legislative procedures placed administrative burdens on schools and affected the ability of principals to apply meaningful disciplinary consequences.

A principal’s power to suspend students without review has been expanded by increasing the period for a short suspension from 1-5 to 1-10 days. This reduces the administrative burden on schools and sends a clear message about a principal’s authority.

A narrow range of disciplinary options led to an overreliance on suspensions and exclusions.

The number of suspensions and exclusions reduces as principals use other strategies to manage student behaviour. They remain a consequence of last resort.

1 A broad head of power gives principals the authority to control and regulate discipline in their school while adhering to legislation and departmental policy

2 Any reference to parent or parents means parents, guardians or carer

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Implementing Action 15Action 15 of Great teachers = Great results outlines the Government’s reform agenda to strengthen discipline in Queensland state schools. The following actions are designed to assist principals to strengthen discipline in Queensland state schools.

We have streamlined the Education(GeneralProvision)Act2006 (EGPA) and reduced the size of the regulation of school discipline in line with the Government’s commitment to reduced regulatory burden. The Department of Education, Training and Employment (DETE) committed to a 25% reduction in operational procedures by the start of the 2014 school year and a reduction in the length of procedures. Amendments to legislation and procedure have reduced formal processes and paperwork for principals, while still ensuring natural justice is afforded to students affected by disciplinary decisions.

Action 1: Reduce red tape, increase principals’ power and streamline processes

In 2013 Amendments to the EGPA have:

• removedunnecessaryprescriptionofprocesses,behaviourmanagementplans, detention and behaviour improvement conditions.

• providedabroadpowerinlegislation,supportedthroughpolicyandprocedure, for principals to undertake a range of disciplinary actions, in consultation with their school community, that suit their local context.

• expandedthesuspensionperiodforshortsuspensionsfrom1-5daysto1-10 days.

• streamlinedprocessesandclarifiedthegroundsforexclusion,suspensionand cancellation of enrolment to ensure consistency and reduce confusion.

DETE has significantly reduced the policy and procedure related to strengthening discipline. New policy and procedure is concise and user- friendly, containing only the detail necessary to assist principals with implementation, ensure the safety and wellbeing of students and provide natural justice.

Training about the EGPA and new policy and procedure will be available for all state school principals.

From 2014 Schools implement the new legislation.

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Queensland state schools currently require students and parents to sign a document upon enrolment that states the respective rights and obligations of students, parents and school staff. These agreements can be a powerful tool in establishing behavioural expectations and consequences. Nonetheless some students continue to behave inappropriately and disrupt the learning of others. Principals need strategies to work with students and their parents to improve behaviours. A DisciplineImprovementPlan is a new discipline option which principals can use to improve a student’s behaviour. A Discipline Improvement Plan can be used at any time, for example as an early strategy to prevent escalation of inappropriate behaviour or as a last resort option instead of suspension or exclusion.

Action 2: Introduce Discipline Improvement Plans as a disciplinary strategy for principals

In 2013 The Behaviour Improvement Condition has been removed from the EGPA to allow principals greater flexibility to set conditions around a student’s behaviour. A broad head of power in the EGPA enables principals to create a Discipline Improvement Plan.

From 2014 Principals can work with their school community to decide upon a range of disciplinary consequences appropriate to the local context.

Principals can collaborate with students and their parents to develop a plan that sets out expectations for behaviour and measures to address any inappropriate behaviour. A plan might include, for example, regular school attendance, attending a social skills program or a drug and alcohol education program.

Detention can be used as a consequence for a breach of school expectations and provides students with an opportunity to reflect on their behaviour. Allowing greater flexibility in how detentions are applied enables a principal to impose meaningful consequences.

Action 3: Make detentions more flexible

In 2013 Prescription around detention has been removed from the EGPA to allow more flexibility and autonomy for principals to apply detention.

A broad head of power in the EGPA ensures principals are empowered to set detentions.

From 2014 Principals can work with their school community to agree how detentions may be applied, taking account of the local context. School communities may consider extended times for out-of-school hours detentions, including detentions on the weekend.

Principals must notify parents of out-of-school hours detentions and allow parents to negotiate, within parameters, the times at which these are completed.

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Community Service Interventions are an additional disciplinary option for principals to consider in relation to managing problem behaviour. The tasks undertaken as part of the Community Service Interventions are designed to develop discipline by changing attitudes, improving skills, enhancing self-respect and respect for others through commitment and teamwork.

Action 4: Introduce Community Service Interventions as a disciplinary strategy

From 2013 A broad head of power in the EGPA empowers principals to use Community Service Interventions as a disciplinary strategy.

From 2014 Principals can work with their school community to agree how Community Service Interventions might be applied. Community Service Interventions involve students performing work or service in their local community with a host organisation, or under the supervision of a school staff member, depending on the age of the student. A school can build partnerships with local organisations to identify challenging and constructive tasks.

Suspensions and exclusions are a strategy of last resort. Suspensions and exclusions demonstrate to students that their behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated. Suspensions highlight the responsibility of parents to take an active role in addressing inappropriate behaviour. Suspensions also allow time for schools to plan appropriate support to assist the student with future successful participation at school.

Action 5: Expand principals’ power when applying short suspensions

In 2013 The EGPA has been amended to change the period of a short suspension from 1-5 days to 1-10 days. The student cannot make a submission to the Director- General against this suspension. This reduces the administrative burden on principals. It also sends a clear message about a principal’s authority to take decisive action and is a signal to students that their behaviour must change.

From 2014 Principals can apply a short suspension to a student for a period of 1-10 days.

Action 6: Broaden the grounds for suspension, exclusion and cancellations of enrolment

In 2013 Additional grounds have been added to the EGPA to allow principals to suspend or exclude students who are charged with or convicted of criminal offences, or whose conduct poses an unacceptable risk to safety and wellbeing of students and staff. Legislation clarifies that this conduct may occur outside of school grounds and hours of operation.

From 2014 Principals can use the expanded grounds when making decisions about suspensions, exclusions and cancellations of enrolment.

There is greater clarity for students and their parents about behaviours and conduct that constitutes grounds for suspension and exclusion.

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An 18 month discipline audit program to ensure that every state school has a strong approach to discipline commenced in July 2013. DETE released the Statementofexpectationsforadisciplinedschoolenvironment in May 2013 which outlines the expectation that schools use a positive whole-school approach to manage behaviour. The tool used in the Discipline Audits draws on evidence-based approaches to managing student behaviour. The Discipline Audits promote strong approaches to discipline by helping principals to identify the strengths and weaknesses in their school’s management of behaviour.

Action 7: Introduce a Discipline Audit for every Queensland state school

In 2013 A Discipline Audit tool has been developed in consultation with key stakeholder groups and peer reviewed by leading academics. The tool has a format similar to the Teaching and Learning Audit. Auditors have been provided with specific training to undertake the audits.

20% of state schools will have been audited by the end of 2013.

In 2014 Auditing of schools will continue using the Discipline Audit process.

Information to support the school develop best practice approaches is available on the Department’s website.

From 2015 The Discipline Audit process will be incorporated into the Teaching and Learning Audit process.

There is potential to further support state school students with complex needs by building stronger relationships with the non-state sector organisations that operate Special Assistance Schools. The extra funding provided to Special Assistance Schools enables these schools to employ highly specialised staff to meet the learning and behavioural needs of a small number of students.

Action 8: Develop alternative pathways for students with ongoing behavioural issues

In 2013 DETE undertook a review of the provision of alternative education in state and non-state schools. This review informed the development of new models of alternative pathways for students with ongoing behavioural issues for whom traditional disciplinary measures have been ineffective.

From 2014 DETE will develop three new alternative sites for students with complex and challenging behaviour. These alternative sites reflect partnerships between state and non-state schools, and will trial innovative models of delivering education to students with complex needs. The sites will be pilots for the future development of alternative education settings in Queensland.

Action 9: Provide high quality evidence-based materials to support schools to strengthen discipline

In 2013 High quality resources including vignettes, podcasts, training materials and fact sheets have been developed in consultation with leading academics to support principals, school staff and parents to effectively manage behaviour.

Examples of the strengthening discipline initiatives are available on the website.

From 2014 Continued work will occur to develop resources for schools and parents. These will include effective practices, recent research developments and updates from schools and DETE.

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