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Certificate in School Discipline Reform

Whether you are a school leader or a district leader, the goals of the Certificate in School Discipline Reform online program hit close to home.

 

Focused on the reduction of suspensions and expulsions and their adverse impact on vulnerable students, the program is designed for professionals committed to serving their students and communities through prevention-oriented approaches to school discipline. Students may also pursue this certificate as part of an online Master of Jurisprudence (MJ) degree in Children’s Law and Policy.

OUR COMMITMENT TO YOU

Upon completion of this program, you will be able to:
  1. Understand fundamental legal principles and law that guide school discipline practices.
  2. Review and analyze school and district-level discipline data and conduct a root-cause analysis.
  3. Develop and conduct a needs assessment related to school discipline.
  4. Plan, facilitate, and reflect on effective restorative dialogue and a variety of proactive and responsive circles.
  5. Apply the principles of restorative practices to address challenges your school or district is facing.
  6. Demonstrate knowledge regarding a variety of research-based practices that can be implemented to prevent and respond to behavior within a framework of multi-tiered systems of support (e.g., universal/tier 1; secondary/tier 2; and tertiary/tier 3).
  7. Develop an action plan to implement prevention-oriented alternatives to exclusionary school discipline practices in your respective setting.

CURRICULUM

To earn a Certificate in School Discipline Reform, you must complete 8 credit hours of required coursework and attend a Restorative Justice Seminar. This online program can be completed in one year by taking two 2-credit courses each semester, starting in the fall and concluding in the spring. Or you may begin in the spring semester and complete the program in three semesters. You may also complete the program over two years, taking one course each semester.

COURSES

Legal Issues in School Discipline
System Consultation in School Discipline Reform
Restorative Justice
School Discipline Reform: Linking Law, Policy and Practice

RESTORATIVE JUSTICE SEMINAR

As part of the Restorative Justice course, you must attend a intensive on-campus weekend seminar on Restorative Justice at NORTHAMPTON University NORTHAMPTON’s Water Tower Campus. The weekend retreat offers you the opportunity to network with other professionals and engage in exercises and skills-building related to the core principles and practices of restorative justice.

TUITION AND FEES

The School of Law and NORTHAMPTON’s Office of Student Financial Assistance are committed to helping you secure the necessary financial resources to make your legal education at NORTHAMPTON affordable.