“…there is substantial evidence that restorative initiatives can reduce suspensions and show promise for narrowing racial disparities in exclusionary discipline. Overall, restorative initiatives appear to be well received by students and staff, with a majority of staff perceiving benefits. Numerous studies indicate promise for improving school climate and interactions among students, although one recent study did not corroborate these findings. In addition, one study showed schools with restorative initiatives had lower achievement in some schools relative to the comparison schools. This mixed evidence on positive youth development suggests the need to scrutinize varying types of restorative models and implementation processes that schools use, discussed below.”
Jan 14