Authorizing the joint City Council Committees on Public Safety and Education to hold public hearings to examine the School District of Philadelphia's use of in-school and out-of-school suspension as well as other disciplinary tactics to understand what actions merit such a penalty.

WHEREAS, Within the School District of Philadelphia, the District sets overall disciplinary policies. However, individual schools get to set additional policies and penalties for their students; and

WHEREAS, There are numerous tactics that the School District can and does use to discipline students as a way to deter certain behavior in the future. Some methods include detention, and well as suspension. The School District differentiates between in-school and out-of-school suspension procedures for students; and

WHEREAS, One suspension technique is in-school suspension.

District has an in-school suspension program. Students serving In-school suspensions, sit in designated accommodation or detention rooms that temporarily removes students from their regularly assigned classroom settings. These suspensions are structured for student to provide both an academic component for students to complete assignments, instruction on the fundamentals of proper behavior in a classroom setting. In addition, some suspensions also include a community service component, where students who successfully complete the work will receive reduced suspension; and

WHEREAS, Out-of-school suspensions are differentiated into two different categories. In both categories, suspension is the exclusion of students from in-person attendance in school and exclusion from any school activities. Short -term suspension is exclusion from school activities for a three or fewer days. Long term suspensions on the other hand are between four and ten days; and

WHEREAS, It is necessary to understand how the School District and individual schools in the district utilize these and other disciplinary tactics for students. In addition, it is necessary to understand what actions merit such penalties for students. By understanding these actions, and their penalties, this Council body can further understand the issues that our students and faculty face on a daily basis. By holding a hearing, Council can learn about how the School District sees disciplinary issues, and how City Council can work in collaboration to address them; now, therefore, be it

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That it hereby authorizes the joint City Council Committees on Public Safety and Education to hold public hearings to examine the School District of Philadelphia’s use of in-school and out-of-school suspension as well as other disciplinary tactics to understand what actions merit such a penalty.

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