Camden Schools Change Discipline Procedures And See Cuts On Suspensions

CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) -- Camden's public schools are getting ready to open for another term next month, and officials are noting how a new approach to discipline has dramatically lowered the number of kids getting suspended.

Every school in the district has someone in charge of the culture and climate. Each takes its own path, subject to district approval, to provide options to just kicking kids out for upwards of two weeks at a time.

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"This past year we had a 53 percent decrease in students being suspended and 89 percent in our high schools specifically," Superintendent Paymon Rouhanifard told KYW Newsradio. "And a 72 percent reduction in suspension days across the district."

The result, more kids in class for longer periods of time, and those having issues are getting them addressed. Every student is issued a code of conduct that spells out what's expected of them. Those who violate the code are not just thrown out on the street, but counseled in-house on how to correct their behavior.

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"There was this huge emphasis on making sure that we were making kids understand what they could not do, but not being extremely clear about the expectations of what we wanted them to do," said Elan Drennon, the district's Senior Manager of Student Equity Initiatives and School Climate Strategy.

Plans are to expand the program in the coming school year. In some elementary schools, parents are actually asking to enroll their children in these preemptive efforts to help give their children greater structure in their lives. Officials stress parents are also brought into the process when necessary to help their kids improve.