Inclusive Skill-building Learning Approach (ISLA)

We know that children thrive in learning environments that are affirming of their identities, supportive of their needs, inclusive of all learners, welcoming, consistent, and safe. Yet the use of exclusionary discipline practices can transform the learning environment from a place of support to a place of harm. And that harm is disproportionately dispensed to our BIPOC students, students with disabilities, students living in poverty, and students struggling academically. With a grant from the Institute of Education Sciences, Dr. Rhonda Nese and her team are helping middle schools replace harmful exclusionary discipline practices with instructional and restorative alternatives to improve educator practices, student social and behavioral problem-solving, and student-teacher relationships.