The Center for Community Alternatives congratulates the Syracuse City School District Board and Superintendent, as well as the New York State Office of the Attorney General (OAG) for reaching an agreement, "Assurance of Discontinuance" that will ensure that all children have access to a high-quality education in safe and nurturing schools. The agreement will reduce the use of suspensions, reduce disparities in suspensions by race, ethnicity and disability status, and ensure that teachers, administrators, students and parents understand their rights and responsibilities.

The Syracuse City School District faces all the challenges typical of an urban school district - high rates of poverty, insufficient resources and the demands associated with the Common Core and new teacher evaluation systems. The District is also wonderfully diverse with caring and committed teachers and high achieving, high potential students.

However, like many districts across the country, suspension data in the Syracuse school district showed years of high rates of racial disparities and problems in how policies and procedures related to suspension were being implemented, all of which prompted an investigation by the OAG.

The OAG findings support Superintendent Sharon Contreras' efforts to introduce important changes to school discipline, including advocacy services for students facing long-term, out-of-school suspension, and independent hearing officers. Other soon-to-be implemented changes include a significant revision of the District's Code of Conduct, transitional services to help students returning from incarceration or long term suspension reintegrate into mainstream school, restorative justice approaches and services to address the mental health, social and emotional needs of students that often trigger inappropriate behaviors.

CCA congratulates the District and Office of the Attorney General for reaching an agreement that supports the right of all children to a quality education.