FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
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STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
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John L. Winn
Commissioner of Education
F. PHILIP HANDY,
Chairman
T. WILLARD FAIR,
Vice Chairman
Members
DONNA G. CALLAWAY
JULIA L. JOHNSON
Contact Person:
ROBERTO MARTÍNEZ
Name:
Traci Phillips
PHOEBE RAULERSON
Phone:
(850) 245-0424
Suncom:
205-0424
Email:
traci.phillips@fldoe.org
MEMORANDUM
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K12:
2005-27
LINDA K. TAYLOR
To:
District School Superintendents
From:
Jim Warford, Chancellor
Date:
March 7, 2005
Subject:
2004 Report for the Study of Alternatives to Suspension
The Department of Education, Bureau of Family and Community Outreach (OFCO) has
contracted with Evaluation Systems Design, Inc., to conduct a study of the procedures and
programs school districts have implemented that are alternatives to suspending students from
school. This project is funded through Title IV and began in February 2004.
The purposes of this study are to:
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Identify existing practices regarding alternatives to suspension currently being used in
school district within the state;
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Identify outcome-based effective practices;
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Identify essential components of outcome-based effective practices; and
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Catalogue and describe an array of programs that can be used by districts as effective
outcome-based alternatives to suspension.
Attached is a copy of the Executive Summary of the study. The full report is available under the
publications section of the website for Evaluation Systems Design, Inc., http://www.esdi.cc/:
JIM WARFORD
K-12 CHANCELLOR
325 W. GAINES STREET • SUITE 514 • TALLAHASSEE, FL 32399-0400 • (850) 245-0509 • www.fldoe.org
cc
District School Superintendents
March 7, 2005
Page Two
In the second phase of the study for the remainder of this school year and in conjunction with the
project advisory committee, Evaluation Systems Design, Inc., will be conducting site visits to an
additional 10 school districts. The site visits will be conducted in April of 2005. We encourage
your district to participate if selected. The visits will be one day with two consultants
interviewing district staff for approximately two hours and then visiting up to four selected
sites/schools with the best programs or strategies in place, each for approximately two hours.
Two additional surveys will also be conducted: a web-based survey of all 67 districts to obtain
additional input into the study and recommendations for improving the alternative programs, and
a web-based survey of all schools in the state to obtain more detailed information on current
practices in alternatives to out-of-school suspension. Districts and schools will be notified via e-
mail of the surveys and the link to the website. Please extend to Evaluation Systems Design,
Inc., your assistance in gathering these insightful data.
I hope you will join the Department in our efforts to learn more about effective alternatives to
suspension in the state of Florida.
Directors of Student Services
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Dropout Prevention Contacts
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Exceptional Student Education Coordinators
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