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Project Tag: School Discipline

Disrupting School-to-Juvenile Justice Pathways

In collaboration with the Harold Simmons Foundation, the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute is supporting school districts in transitioning away from discipline practices that result in students being removed from their classrooms.

Project Details

Exclusionary approaches that remove students from their regular classrooms—such as suspensions or expulsions—can have lasting adverse effects on students, including lowered academic achievement, increased dropout rates, and a higher risk of future justice involvement. The webinars and resources in this collection offer practical guidance to school districts on adopting less punitive and more restorative policies and practices to effectively address behavior and keep students engaged in their education.

Research shows that being suspended from school is associated with poor mental health and death by suicide.* The need to reduce exclusionary practices becomes clear when examining statewide discipline data.** In the 23-24 school year:

School Discipline Education

Session 1, October 7, 2025

Supporting Students in the Aftermath of Trauma and Loss

Trauma and bereavement in children and youth can have lasting impacts on students’ mental health, behavior, and their ability to learn. Fortunately, teachers and staff can play a critical role in recognizing and responding to these impacts. This training will introduce how trauma and grief reactions may appear in students and provide practical strategies for integrating trauma- and bereavement-informed responses into mental health supports, classroom interactions, and discipline practices to promote mental well-being, resilience, and learning.

Date: October 23, 2025
Presenter: Marisa Nowitz, Vice President of Education and Training, Trauma and Grief Center at The Hackett Center for Mental Health
Presenter: Neena Saulsberry-Gates, Director of School Mental Health

Resources

Supporting Trauma-related Behaviors in the Classroom

Session 2, Septermber 25, 2025

Beyond Discipline: Building Systems that Support Students and Staff

Every day, schools face the critical challenge of addressing student dysregulation, an issue with consequences for academic achievement, educator well-being, and students’ long-term success. Join us on October 7 for a webinar that explores student support models that maximize resources, foster positive behaviors, and create conditions for lasting change. Attendees will leave this session with research and tools to make a compelling case for systems change that benefits students, schools, and communities.

Presenter: Melissa True, Vice President for Education and Strategy
Presenter: Edna Henderson, Director for Youth and Family Mental Health
Presenter: Neena Saulsberry-Gates, Director for School Mental Health

Session 3, August 28, 2025

89th Legislative Update Debrief: Education and Mental Health

Education remained a top item during the 89th Texas Legislature, resulting in legislation and appropriations that directly impact school finance, school safety, school discipline, and student mental health. In this recorded webinar, policy experts break down the key legislative changes in the K-12 landscape and explore implications for Texas schools in their efforts to support students.

Moderator: Neena Saulsberry-Gates, Director of School Mental Health, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
Speaker: Kate Kulhmann, Partner, HillCo Partners
Speaker: Nelson Jarrin, Executive Vice President of State Policy, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute
Speaker: Melissa True, Vice President of Education and Strategy, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute

Resources

Session 4, October 8, 2024

MTSS Implementation: Years of Dedication

This webinar recording features Midland Independent School District as they share their four-year journey partnering with the Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute to develop a comprehensive Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS), a public health framework that districts can implement to support the academic, behavioral, and mental health needs of students. This webinar also highlights ways MTSS helped change the district’s approach to school discipline. Finally, discover lessons Midland ISD learned along the way and the strategies that helped them succeed in building a sustainable system to support student success.

Moderator: Edna Henderson
Panelist: Taylor Harris