Futures in the Balance: Reforms that Keep Youth in School

Referring young people to the legal system can negatively impact their life outcomes as it excludes them from school, disconnecting them from learning and engaging in prosocial activities. There may be times when schools need to seek assistance from law enforcement, but for the vast majority of situations, a variety of levers exist outside of the legal system which schools can use to address youth behavior.

By addressing systemic policies and practices that push students out of schools and into the juvenile court system, superintendents and other administrators can improve school climate for all students, as well as social, emotional, and academic outcomes.