In March of 2023, the U.S. Department of Education released Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates for students and school staff, featuring specific recommendations for evidence-based practices that allow students to learn, grow, and be successful. To enhance state and local implementation of these guiding principles, a collaborative of technical assistance centers serving the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Safe and Supportive Schools developed a series of four fact sheets.The series describes best practices and approaches to help support and respond to students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and academic needs, including practices designed to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline in schools. The Guiding Principles and Fact Sheets are available at the Title 4 Part A Center.
Each fact sheet is tailored to a specific audience at the school or district level: school and district leaders, student support teams, educators and school-based staff, and families. The fact sheets also feature resources to help support stakeholders in this important work. See titles below, and access fact sheets at Title 4 Part A Center Supportive Schools page.
The U.S. Department of Education also recommends the following resources for more information on topics related to creating positive and safe learning environments.
U.S. Department of Education School Climate and Student Discipline Resources
This Web page provides resources to assist stakeholders in addressing students’ social, emotional, behavioral, and mental health needs; understanding and complying with Federal laws (including those that prohibit discrimination based on race, color, national origin, sex, or disability); and promoting welcoming, safe schools.
On March 24, 2023, U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona issued a Dear Colleague Letter to governors, chief state school officers, and school district and school leaders urging them to end corporal punishment practices in schools. Secretary Cardona advocated replacing corporal punishment with evidence-based practices, such as multi-tiered systems of support, that create safe and healthy school environments.
Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates
This resource describes five guiding principles as well as suggested actions schools and school districts can take to create inclusive, safe, supportive, and fair learning environments. It also lists additional Federal resources that can support these efforts.
This miniseries, part of the Lessons from the Field Webinar Series, is designed to enhance state and local implementation of the Guiding Principles for Creating Safe, Inclusive, Supportive, and Fair School Climates to ensure that all students have the opportunity to learn in environments that are safe, inclusive, supportive, and fair. It will include five events aligned with the Guiding Principles and recently released fact sheets:
For more information, and to register, please visit the miniseries registration website.
