Will the new Discipline Code lead to fewer suspensions and more ATRs?

We would guess that most teachers in NYC are not happy about the DOE's recent changes to the Discipline Code.  The new Code will prevent principals from suspending students for many categories of first-time offenses; instead, the offenders will be "treated" with:

                                *"progressive discipline";
                                *"collaborative negotiation";
                                *"restorative approaches"; and
                                *"circle processes" (see here).  

The NY Daily News refers to these techniques as "psychobabble and touch-feely gobbledegook," and we think they've got a point (see also Marc Epstein's kind words in the New York Post about the new policy). 

There are some teachers who aren't just unhappy about these changes.  These teachers are positively jittery.  That's because they work for the Alternate Learning Centers, which is where students are taught during their suspensions.  A friend of ours who works at an ALC sent in the following:

Will fewer students be suspended because of the new Discipline Code?  And will that ultimately lead to ALC teachers being excessed and forced into the ATR [Absent Teacher Reserve]?  

This question was raised today at our beginning-of-the-year meeting with Anthony Orzo, the Superintendent of District 88, the citywide district that includes all the ALCs.

Mr. Orzo had a really interesting answer.  He said he thought that suspension numbers would actually go up--because of changes in Special Education policy.  The new policy will force principals to keep Special Ed. students in their zoned schools, where they will be taught in Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) classrooms (see here).  In another words, students with academic and emotional difficulties will be taught in the same large groups that everyone else finds themselves in these days.  

Mr. Orzo predicted that many of these children will become frustrated, will act out, and will be suspended.  Bad news for them, but good news for me and my colleagues at the ALCs.  

The DOE sets new trends in Special Education

This report was submitted a few days ago by a teacher who would like to be known as CB.  Our apologies to CB, and our readers, for the delay in posting.

This morning I arrived at my new elementary-school-of-the-week and was assigned to a small CTT class as the General Ed partner of a very nice Special Education teacher. I was told that I would remain at that assignment until Friday. 

The General Ed teacher in that classroom for the first month, it turns out, was also a member of the ATR, so he has now been placed elsewhere. Presumably, a new person will be in this position each week. This is certainly not a good situation for the Special Ed teacher. But it is much worse for the students. IN WHAT WAY IS IT GOOD, OR JUSTIFIABLE, FOR STUDENTS, ESPECIALLY NEEDY ONES, TO HAVE A NEW TEACHER EACH WEEK?

Yes, they have the stability provided by the appointed Special Education teacher. But they need assurance, familiarity, and safety, not the experience of constantly having to adapt to new primary adults in their lives.