Miami-Dade Schools Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho, Deputy Superintendent Valtena Brown and Chief Academic Officer Marie Izquierdo joined other educators from across the nation at a gathering hosted by the U.S. Departments of Education and Justice in late July. The event, “Rethink Discipline,” a daylong conference at the White House, was focused on helping school districts create positive school climates and implement effective discipline practices.
“At M-DCPS, we strive to implement consequences without depriving students of valuable instructional time,” said Carvalho. “If students are not in school, whether absent or suspended, they are not learning.”
“Today’s conference shows that there are leaders across the country who are committed to doing this work,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. “We are proud to stand as partners with these educators to say that we have to continue to do better for all of our students.”
According to data from the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), the number of students losing critical learning time due to out of school suspensions and expulsions is staggering. Over three million students are suspended or expelled every year. State data shows Miami-Dade has among the lowest suspension rates in the state - about 10 percent.