Overview
The strongest improvements in student outcomes emerge at the confluence of a
highly engaged learner and a highly effective educator. The ideal culture and
climate, then, is one that creates learner engagement by maximizing student
agency, autonomy, and empathy. And it’s one that supports educator
effectiveness by freeing them up to focus on instructional delivery. Both of
these strategies are brought to life through Student Led Restorative Practices.
The intention of the Student Led Restorative Practices Implementation Instrument is to invite a reimagining of the role of students in creating effective learning environments. SLRP does this by translating existing research and the collective experience of students and educators across the country into a set of tools that student led Restorative Leadership Teams (RLTs) can use to identify their implementation strengths and weaknesses as well as to track progress along their journey toward improving student outcomes.
The implementation instrument is built around six competencies that correlate with improvements in building culture and climate: Leadership, Goals, Community Circles, Mediation Circles, Restorative Circles, and Continuous Improvement.
How To Use
This document is best used by the RLT with guidance from a facilitator specifically trained in its application. After receiving an orientation to the implementation instrument, each individual RLT member should fill out the Restorative Practices Quarterly Self Evaluation. Using the self evaluation instrument will reveal a score between 0 and 100, where a 0 indicates that the RLT is not at all focused (yet) on its restorative goals and a 100 which indicates that the RLT has mastered the behavior of focusing on restorative practices. Then the facilitator should lead the RLT through a process of collectively completing the self evaluation for the first time. This will create the RLT’s starting point data which, in addition to providing a measurable score, provides the RLT with clarity about its strengths and weaknesses relative to being focused on implementing restorative practices.
Student Led Restorative Practices Implementation Instrument
| FOCUS MINDSET: School system leaders and school leaders align behaviors with student outcomes -- starting with their own. | |||
| Does Not Meet Restorative Focus (0pts) | Approaching Restorative Focus (5pts) | Meeting Restorative Focus (10pts) | Mastering Restorative Focus (15pts) |
| The RLT Does Not Meet Restorative Focus if any of the following are true: | No items from the Does Not Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Approaching Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Meeting Restorative Focus column, and: |
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◻ School system leaders and/or school leaders agree that student maladaptive behavior is by desire, not primarily driven by lack of tools. ◻ School system leaders and/or school leaders agree that some students don’t want to learn. ◻ School system leaders and/or school leaders have not received training related to the knowledge, skills, and mindset schools need to implement Student Led Restorative Practices (SLRP) during the previous thirty-six month period. ◻ A system-wide Restorative Leadership Team (RLT) has not been created. |
◻ The majority of school staff members, including administrators, have been trained in the use of affective statements and affective questions when addressing students’ behaviors. ◻ School system leaders and/or school leaders have completed training to understand the intentions and continuum of restorative practices available through SLRP. |
◻ All campus staff, campus administration, and school resource officers or school-based police officers have received training on restorative practices. ◻ The system-wide RLT has hosted and the RLT members have led or co-led at least one training on Student Led Restorative Practices for its community during the previous 12 month period. ◻ The system-wide RLT included students as presenters in at least one of the student led restorative practices training sessions during the previous twelve months. ◻ A group of parents and/or community members has received training in restorative practices and at least one parent is a member of the school system-wide RLT. |
◻ All new employees to the school system are screened for alignment with student led restorative practices prior to being hired. ◻ All new employees of the school system receive training on restorative practices. ◻ Restorative practices are the default for adults, not just for students. ◻ More than 80% of the current students and adults in schools that are implementing student-led restorative practices have participated in SLRP training. ◻ The system-wide RLT celebrates accomplishments, small and large, with students, campus staff, and campus administration. |
| Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: |
| Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: |
| COMMIT LEADERSHIP: Restorative Leadership Teams (RLT) are created and guide the implementation of restorative practices. | |||
| Does Not Meet Restorative Focus (0pts) | Approaching Restorative Focus (5pts) | Meeting Restorative Focus (10pts) | Mastering Restorative Focus (15pts) |
| The RLT Does Not Meet Restorative Focus if any of the following are true: | No items from the Does Not Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Approaching Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Meeting Restorative Focus column, and: |
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◻ A school system-wide student-led restorative practices Champion has not been identified. ◻ A school-based RP Champion has not been identified for each participating school that is implementing SLRP. ◻ A school-based Restorative Leadership Team (RLT) has not been created. ◻ Representatives from each campus-based RLT throughout the school system have not met with the Restorative Practices Coordinator during the previous two quarters. ◻ The RLT has not provided information to school-based staff about restorative practices. |
◻ A school system-wide SLRP Champion has been identified and a system-wide SLRP Coordinator has been hired. ◻ A system-wide RLT has been created and members have been selected. ◻ The system-wide RLT has “buy-in” or support from central office and campus administrators to begin restorative practices implementation. ◻ The school-based RLT has recommended and the principal has agreed to hire a coordinator to guide student-led restorative practices implementation. ◻ Students, families, teachers, and community members were involved in the restorative practices planning and/or implementation process in such a manner that there is strong campus and community ownership of the RLT’s guidance of restorative practices implementation. |
◻ The school-based RLT meets regularly and members actively participate in decision-making regarding restorative processes in order to change school climate and culture. ◻ There is a system-level RLT that meets at least quarterly and each participating school has a local RLT that meets at least monthly. ◻ Restorative practices are part of campus policies and procedures, including the student manual. ◻ The school-based RLT has ensured a sense of ownership or support from at least 75% of campus staff to begin restorative practices implementation. ◻ The school system has dedicated funding to train at least 25% of students and adults in each campus with an RLT. ◻ At least 10% of instructional staff at participating schools have received training on student-led restorative practices. |
◻ Restorative practices are part of campus and school system-wide policies and procedures, including all appropriate manuals. ◻ Implementation of restorative practices has strong and visible support from campus and school system senior leadership teams. ◻ The school system has fully funded a plan to train at least 90% of students and adults in each campus with an RLT prior to the first day of school. ◻ The school-based RLT has ensured that time for student-led restorative practices has been built into the master schedule with classroom space, students, and adults assigned. ◻ The school-based RLT has ensured a sense of ownership or support from the majority of campus staff to begin student-led restorative practices implementation. |
| Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: |
| Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: |
| CLARIFY & MONITOR PRIORITIES: Restorative Leadership Teams (RLT) work collaboratively to develop goals and self evaluate. | |||
| Does Not Meet Restorative Focus (0pts) | Approaching Restorative Focus (5pts) | Meeting Restorative Focus (10pts) | Mastering Restorative Focus (15pts) |
| The RLT Does Not Meet Restorative Focus if any of the following are true: | No items from the Does Not Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Approaching Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Meeting Restorative Focus column, and: |
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◻ A school-based RLT has not been created. ◻ The school-based RLT has not adopted goals. ◻ The school-based RLT does not use data in its creation of goals. ◻ School system leaders and/or school leaders have not consistently demonstrated the ability to distinguish between inputs, outputs, and outcomes. ◻ School system leaders and/or school leaders have not consistently demonstrated the ability to distinguish between adult inputs, adult outcomes, and student outcomes. ◻ The school-based RLT has not conducted a self evaluation during the previous two quarters. |
◻ The system-wide RLT has analyzed academic and discipline data for all student populations and provide this analysis to all school-based RLTs. ◻ Each RLT has adopted no fewer than one and no more than five goals. Three is the recommended number. ◻ Each RLT has adopted one to three interim goals for each goal. ◻ Each goal and interim goal describes a measure, population, starting point, an ending point, a starting date, and an ending date. ◻ The goals are all focused on student outcomes (they all describe what students know or are able to do) as distinct from adult inputs, adult outputs, student inputs, and student outputs. ◻ Each RLT conducts quarterly self-evaluations of student-led restorative practices implementation. |
◻ Each RLT has goals that address the development of tools such as metacognition, self-regulation, responsibility, accountability, empathy, and/or active listening. ◻ All RLT members agree that the goals and interim goals are all SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, results-focused, timebound), will challenge the organization, and will require adult behavior change. ◻ Each RLT considers the numbers of in-school and out-of-school suspensions, attendance rates, and discipline referrals by student populations for goal setting. ◻ The interim goals are all student outputs or student outcomes, as distinct from adult inputs, adult outputs, and student inputs. Interim goals are most commonly student outputs. ◻ All RLT members agree that the interim goals are all predictive of their respective goals, and are influenceable by the RLT. |
◻ Students, families, teachers, and community members were involved in the goals development process in such a manner that there is broad campus / community ownership of the RLT’s goals. ◻ Each RLT self evaluated using this instrument during the last three month period if its previous score was below 80 using this instrument, or during the last twelve month period if its previous score was 80+. ◻ Each RLT’s annual self evaluation includes an opportunity for each member to share examples of when their adult behaviors made it harder for students to trust and/or harder for students to be successful. |
| Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: |
| Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: |
| COMMUNITY CIRCLES: Restorative Leadership Teams (RLT) guide the use of Circles focused on creating the experience of belonging. | |||
| Does Not Meet Restorative Focus (0pts) | Approaching Restorative Focus (5pts) | Meeting Restorative Focus (10pts) | Mastering Restorative Focus (15pts) |
| The RLT Does Not Meet Restorative Focus if any of the following are true: | No items from the Does Not Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Approaching Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Meeting Restorative Focus column, and: |
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◻ Community Circles are not supported by the RLT. ◻ Campus staff have not received information on the use of Community Circles. |
◻ Campus and school system staff have received training regarding various uses of Community Circles such as:
◻ Campus staff members have facilitated Community Circles. ◻ The RLT has discussed which students might be recruited to become facilitators for Community Circles and have begun planning for their training. |
◻ At least ten students have received training to facilitate Community Circles. ◻ The majority of classrooms have used Community Circles at least once this school year. ◻ Community Circles have been used for Check-In and Celebration purposes. ◻ Students have co-facilitated Community Circles. ◻ For every 100 student led Circles a school conducts, ideally around 80% of those are Community Circles. |
◻ The majority of students and staff have received training on Community Circles. ◻ Students, families, teachers, and community members were included in training and/or implementation of Community Circles in such a manner that there is broad campus and community ownership in and use of Community Circles. ◻ Community Circles have been used to discuss Academics and for Decision-Making. ◻ Students have facilitated Community Circles and have chosen the topics addressed. ◻ RLT members have led or co-led at least one training per year for students, families, teachers, and/or community members on Community Circles. ◻ Community Circles are part of the weekly school routine. |
| Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: |
| Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: |
| MEDIATION CIRCLES: Restorative Leadership Teams (RLT) guide the use of Circles focused on creating connection when conflict exists. | |||
| Does Not Meet Restorative Focus (0pts) | Approaching Restorative Focus (5pts) | Meeting Restorative Focus (10pts) | Mastering Restorative Focus (20pts) |
| The RLT Does Not Meet Restorative Focus if any of the following are true: | No items from the Does Not Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Approaching Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Meeting Restorative Focus column, and: |
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◻ Mediation Circles are not supported by the RLT. ◻ Campus staff have not received information about the use of Mediation Circles. ◻ Campus staff have not yet implemented Community Circles. |
◻ Campus and school system staff have received training regarding various uses of Mediation Circles such as:
◻ Campus staff members have facilitated Mediation Circles. ◻ The RLT has discussed which students might be recruited to become facilitators for Mediation Circles and have begun planning for their training. ◻ Mediation Circles have been used to navigate conflicts when necessary to restore connection. ◻ Campus staff members and students have created and use Mediation Agreements to complete Mediation Circles and parents are aware of this process. |
◻ At least ten students have received training to facilitate Mediation Circles. ◻ Mediation Circles have been used for Conflict Navigation and/or Peacemaking. ◻ Students have co-facilitated Mediation Circles. ◻ For every 100 student led Circles a school conducts, ideally around 15% of those are Mediation Circles. |
◻ The majority of students and staff have received training on Mediation Circles. ◻ Mediation Circles have been used for Conflict Navigation purposes among students, parents, teachers, and/or campus administrators when necessary to restore connection. ◻ Students, families, teachers, and community members were included in training and/or implementation of Mediation Circles in such a manner that there is broad campus and community “buy-in” and use of Mediation Circles. ◻ Students have facilitated Mediation Circles. ◻ RLT members have led or co-led at least one training per year for students, families, teachers, and/or community members on Mediation Circles. ◻ Mediation Circles, when needed, are part of the weekly school routine. |
| Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: |
| Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: |
| RESTORATIVE CIRCLES: Restorative Leadership Teams (RLT) guide the use of Circles focused on repairing harm that has been created. | |||
| Does Not Meet Restorative Focus (0pts) | Approaching Restorative Focus (5pts) | Meeting Restorative Focus (10pts) | Mastering Restorative Focus (20pts) |
| The RLT Does Not Meet Restorative Focus if any of the following are true: | No items from the Does Not Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Approaching Restorative Focus column, and: | All items from the Meeting Restorative Focus column, and: |
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◻ Restorative Circles are not supported by the RLT. ◻ Campus staff have not received information on the use of Restorative Circles. ◻ Campus staff have not yet implemented Mediation Circles. ◻ Campus staff have not yet implemented Community Circles. |
◻ Campus and school system staff have received training regarding various uses of Restorative Circles such as:
◻ Campus staff members have facilitated Restorative Circles. ◻ The RLT has discussed which students might be recruited to become peer facilitators for Restorative Circles and have begun planning for their training. ◻ Restorative Circles have been used for accountability purposes when necessary to repair harm. ◻ Campus staff members and students have created and used Restorative Agreements to complete Restorative Circles and parents are aware of this process. |
◻ At least ten students have received training to facilitate Restorative Circles. ◻ Restorative Circles have been used for Reparation and/or Accountability. ◻ Students have co-facilitated Restorative Circles. ◻ Restorative Agreements are reviewed, created, and/or completed as is necessary prior to students returning to class from a detention or suspension. ◻ For every 100 student led Circles a school conducts, ideally around 5% of those are Restorative Circles. |
◻ The majority of students and staff have received training on Restorative Circles. ◻ Restorative Circles have been used for Restoration purposes among students, parents, teachers, and/or campus administrators when necessary to repair harm. ◻ Students, families, teachers, and community members were included in training and/or implementation of Restorative Circles in such a manner that there is broad campus and community “buy-in” and use of Restorative Circles. ◻ Students have facilitated Restorative Circles. ◻ RLT members have led or co-led at least one training per year for students, families, teachers, and/or community members on Restorative Circles. ◻ Restorative Circles, when needed, are part of the weekly school routine. |
| Notes: | Notes: | Notes: | Notes: |
| Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: | Next Step, Who's Responsible & By When: |