The Promise of Restorative Practices to Transform Teacher-Student Relationships and Achieve Equity in School Discipline
Abstract
Restorative approaches to school discipline are increasingly being implemented throughout the United States in an attempt to reduce reliance on suspension and eradicate the racial discipline gap. Yet, little is known about the experience of students in classrooms utilizing restorative practices (RP). This study draws on student surveys (N = 412) in 29 high school classrooms. Hierarchical linear modeling and regression analyses show that high RP-implementing teachers had more positive relationships with their diverse students. Students perceived them as more respectful and they issued fewer exclusionary discipline referrals compared with low RP implementers. In addition, the findings demonstrate some initial promise of well-implemented RP for narrowing the racial discipline gap. The study found that higher RP implementers issued fewer discipline referrals to Latino and African American students compared with lower RP implementers. The study findings have implications for equity-focused consultation in schools that honor student experience of new programming.
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Emotionally safe, consistent adult relationships support readiness to engage in learning and reduce reactive behaviour.
“a finding that resonates with evidence showing how emotionally safe, consistent adult relationships support readiness to engage in learning and reduce reactive behaviour”
From Beyond the Classroom: Strengthening Pupil Engagement, Attendance and Belonging through Alternative Education and Community Partnerships (2025) · cites this paper as Gregory et al., 2016
Black students are more likely to receive suspensions than White students even when they have misbehaved a similar number of times, are engaged in the same incident of misbehavior, have similar prior behavioral tendencies, and are in schools with similar racial compositions.
“Black students are more likely to receive suspensions than White students, even when the students have misbehaved a similar number of times”
From Fostering Belonging, Transforming Schools: The Impact of Restorative Practices (2023) · cites this paper as Gregory et al., 2016
Prior work has established that restorative practices are correlated with less exclusionary discipline, better academic performance, and reductions in racial disparities.
“prior work has already established that restorative practices are correlated with less exclusionary discipline, better academic performance, and reductions in racial disparities (Acosta et al., 2019; Darling-Hammond, Trout, et al., 2021; Gregory et al., 2016).”
From Fostering Belonging, Transforming Schools: The Impact of Restorative Practices (2023) · cites this paper as Gregory et al., 2016
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“Future research may include an examination of teachers’ instructional practices—some of which may be experienced as more or less respectful (e.g., differential treatment of higher and lower achievers with the classroom; Weinstein, 2002).”
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Implications for educational practice of the science of learning and development
Darling-Hammond, L., Flook, L., Cook-Harvey, C., Barron, B., & Osher, D. (2020) · Applied Developmental Science · doi:10.1080/10888691.2018.1537791 · Cited by 2,733 · see citing works
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Use of Restorative Justice and Restorative Practices at School: A Systematic Literature Review
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Effectiveness of restorative justice in US K-12 schools: A review of quantitative research
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Fostering Belonging, Transforming Schools: The Impact of Restorative Practices
Darling-Hammond, S. (2023) · Learning Policy Institute · doi:10.54300/169.703 · Cited by 47 · see citing works
“, in a conflict with one another), when the students have similar prior behavioral tendencies, and when the students are in schools with similar racial compositions (Gregory et al., 2016; Barrett et al., 2021; Shi & Zhu, 2022; Huang & Cornell, 2017; Owens & McLanahan, 2020).”
BackgroundInfluentialReframing school-based restorative justice as a structural population health intervention
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Welsh, R. O. (2024) · Education and Urban Society · doi:10.1177/00131245231208170 · Cited by 26 · see citing works
“…how racially biased beliefs may prevent teachers from creating classroom cultures that are culturally responsive (Gregory, Bell, Pollock, 2016; Gregory, Clawson et al., 2016; Gregory, Hafen et al., 2016; Okonofua et al., 2016) Scholars have developed theoretical frameworks on what culturally…”
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Positive student-teacher relationships and exclusionary discipline practices
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Breslin, M., & Mitchell, J. (2025) · Scottish Educational Review · doi:10.1163/27730840-bja10032
- Authors
- Gregory, A., Clawson, K., Davis, A., & Gerewitz, J.
- Affiliations
- Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey (US)
- Corresponding author
- Gregory, Anne
- Venue
- Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation
- Publisher
- Informa UK Limited
- Published
- 2014-11-04
- Volume
- 26
- Issue
- 4
- Pages
- 325-353
- ISSN
- 1047-4412 (ISSN-L)
- 1532-768X
- OpenAlex
- W2061333269
- Cited by
- 415
- References
- 5
- Citations by year
- 2026: 34 · 2025: 43 · 2024: 36 · 2023: 37 · 2022: 50 · 2021: 63 · 2020: 54 · 2019: 38 · 2018: 30 · 2017: 13 · 2016: 12 · 2015: 4
- FWCI
- 49.72
- Type
- journal article
- Language
- en
- Open access
- closed
- Locations
- Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation (publishedVersion)
- Funders
- Atlantic Philanthropies
- Topics
- Social Sciences › Education › Education Discipline and Inequality
- Social Sciences › Psychology › Developmental and Educational Psychology › Behavioral and Psychological Studies
- Social Sciences › Law › Legal Issues in Education
- Keywords
- restorative practices, student discipline, teacher-student relationship, suspension, high school students, Hispanic students, African American students, student perceptions of teachers, school consultation
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