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School Climate and Student Discipline Resources



Introduction

All students deserve access to welcoming, supportive, and safe schools and classrooms. Successful school climates and student discipline involves setting all students up for success by meeting their academic, social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs and ensuring schools have the necessary tools to assist students with addressing any behaviors that could otherwise interfere with their learning or others' learning or impact school safety. It also means preventing and eliminating discrimination in the administration of student discipline.

The Department recognizes and appreciates school administrators, teachers, and educational staff across the nation who work to provide a safe, positive, and nondiscriminatory education environment for all students, teachers, and other school staff. The Department is committed to protecting our students' wellbeing, and we recognize that a strong foundation in building healthy and productive relationships with others helps students thrive. A key component of supporting schools is ensuring they have information and guidance about their obligations under federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination by states, local educational agencies, and schools that receive federal funds. The Department has taken steps to address the needs of schools by providing substantial resources to support the challenging work of setting all students up for success and meeting their academic, behavioral, and mental health needs.

Administrators, educators, students, parents, guardians, and other stakeholders can find on this site tools, data, and resources to:

  • Meet students' social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs;

  • Help schools understand and comply with Federal laws, including laws that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, or national origin, sex, and disability; and

  • Find information and resources for promoting welcoming and safe schools.

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Office for Civil Rights (OCR)
Page Last Reviewed:
December 19, 2023

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