AWSP Blog

As you know, OSPI released emergency discipline rules related to classroom exclusions at the start of the school year. They have now opened public comment as part of their permanent rulemaking process. We need our school leaders to submit feedback to OSPI. Even if changes in your building have been subtle, your voice matters. We must ensure your perspectives as principals and assistant principals are heard. If you don’t tell your story, someone will tell it for you.

The Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) just filed emergency rules clarifying and updating Chapter 392-400 WAC Student Discipline (see OSPI Rulemaking Activity website). OSPI plans to also conduct permanent rulemaking concerning Student Discipline. The emergency rules are effective immediately and the permanent rules are anticipated to be in effect by the 2025–26 school year. OSPI worked in collaboration with our team at AWSP, practicing principals, assistant principals, and teachers, as well as the Washington Association of School Administrators, the Washington Education Association, and the Washington State School Directors' Association to guide the updates and rule clarifications. These changes reflect important shifts in enhancing the learning environment through leadership and policy integration at the local level.

Members at all levels across the state continue to report that responding to student behavior is the number one issue impacting their own mental health, well-being, job satisfaction, and frankly, willingness to stay in the profession. Living in a constant reactive state to the unknown behaviors that surface daily is draining both emotionally and physically. It’s a pace that is not sustainable or realistic. Something must be done.

Working with challenging adult behaviors has similarities to working with behaviors we see in our students. Digging in, getting better at navigating the function of behavior, and hypothesizing what is behind the behaviors can help you support students and staff more calmly and insightfully. I ran across this “All Behavior is Communication” blog post from Lauren Pace (host of the Rising Lava Parenting Podcast) as I was looking for resources to help a new school leader navigate some tricky adult behaviors in her school. Although this blog refers to parenting strategies and young children, I think reading, listening, and pondering the basics about behavior as communication has some transferable skills and strategies pertinent to school leadership!

Hey principals and school mentors…we see you! You did it!! You survived October with all of its challenges and have supported many throughout these first few critical months. If you're looking for something that can help support you, the PBIS World website has many amazing resources. They can give you ideas to refresh your behavior toolkit heading into the next few months. Don’t forget that many people – from littles to adults – may be exhibiting BIG emotions. Sometimes we don’t know what to do with these big emotions. PBIS world can help with many Tier 1-2-3 intervention ideas just in the nick of time! Check it out! You got this!