Lawrence school board raises questions on student behavior disparities amid equity progress report

photo by: Josie Heimsoth/Journal-World

Lawrence school board members met for a business meeting at the Lawrence school district offices, 110 McDonald Dr., on Monday, October 28, 2024.

According to a recent equity report, student “behavior events” in schools decreased by just over 12% from the 2022-23 to the 2023-24 school years, but after a presentation, Lawrence school board members still have questions about the specifics of how student behavior is treated across different backgrounds.

On Monday, board members heard a report from leaders in the school district’s equity work, which focuses on ensuring educational policies and practices are inclusive and responsive to students of all backgrounds, including when it comes to a “behavioral event.”

According to the equity report, “behavior events” have decreased by 12.19%, with 3,758 incidents in 2022-2023 compared to 3,300 in 2023-2024. In the fourth quarter of the 2023-2024 school year, there was an increase in these events among female students, white, American Indian/Alaska Native, and Asian students compared to the third quarter. Conversely, the percentage of students involved in behavior events was lowest among those on free/reduced lunch, African-American, and multiracial students during the fourth quarter.

Several board members raised questions about specifics of the data, like whether or not these events correlated with the students that are frequently absent or if there are certain responses to behavior events for particular students.

“I think part of the point of equity in this report is to understand if our students are being treated differently and getting different responses,” board member Anne Costello said. ” … We need to understand if we are applying those punishments disproportionately to our students because that’s important (data) to have.”

Additionally, the report evaluated the district’s progress toward its equity goals, which include ensuring that all students achieve at high levels, are proficient in reading by third grade and in math by eighth grade, and graduate on time prepared for college and careers.

By the end of the 2025-2026 school year, the district aims for 75% of K-10 students to achieve low-risk or on-track status on spring reading assessments. Additionally, it seeks for 75% of K-2 students to reach the same status in spring math assessments. The district also targets a 10% annual increase in the number of students in grades 3-8 and entry-level high school math courses scoring at college-ready levels on the state math assessment.

The district is also focused on maintaining or increasing student attendance. School leaders reported a 91.3% attendance rate for the last school year, showing a slight improvement from 2022-2023.

Chronic absenteeism – where a student has missed more than 10% of the school year – has decreased, and Jana Craig-Hare, executive director of curriculum and instruction, said that’s because of the district’s efforts with educators taking attendance and making sure students are in school.

The equity work will further focus on enhancing trauma-responsive practices and behavioral intervention strategies. It aims to engage students, families, and community members in improving these practices and building a comprehensive support system for all. Ultimately, all efforts will align with equity goals, emphasizing culturally responsive strategies that provide guidance and clarity, according to a presentation in the agenda.

In other business, school board members:

* Approved up to $45,000 in general funds for a partnership with RSP & Associates to carry out enrollment and boundary analysis, along with the development of supporting data and maps for the district’s Boundary Advisory Committee.

As the Journal-World reported, committee members expressed interest in partnering with RSP & Associates for data analysis services to evaluate the boundary proposals currently under consideration for Lawrence High and Free State High. The committee aims to propose changes to alleviate enrollment imbalances between the two schools. Currently, students living north of 15th Street/Bob Billings Parkway attend Free State High, while those to the south attend Lawrence High.

The committee is considering two options to balance enrollment numbers – one involves shifting the boundary line north in part of the district, while the other would assign students to high schools based on their middle school attendance. Two public input sessions will be held for the committee to present these proposals and gather community feedback. The sessions are scheduled for 6-7:30 p.m. on Nov. 13 at Lawrence High School and 6-7:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 at Free State High School.

* Discussed a new timeline for the district’s new cellphone policy, with a first reading anticipated at the board meeting on Nov. 25, and school board president Kelly Jones indicated that a vote on the policy is likely to occur in December.

As the Journal-World reported, at past meetings, educators and parents have expressed concerns about the current cellphone policy, which requires that phones be “put away and out of sight.” Those who spoke during public comment highlighted that the policy is problematic due to its inconsistency across different classrooms.

Concerns about cellphones in the classroom have grown statewide, prompting the Blue Ribbon Task Force on Student Screen Time, an advisory group formed by Kansas education leaders, to recommend that districts prohibit student cellphone use for the entire school day, including during lunch and passing periods.

* Held an executive session for the purpose of “discussing personnel matters of non-elected personnel” with no action to follow.