Richmond, VA – In 2009, RISC leaders discovered there were thousands of suspensions in Richmond elementary schools annually. Some schools averaged more suspensions each year than there were students enrolled in school. A meeting with Superintendent Yvonne Brandon revealed that some students suspended multiple times received effective and formal interventions, but this practice was not uniform for all students. At RISC’s 2010 Nehemiah Action Assembly, which brought together about 1,000 people, Superintendent Brandon committed to begin interventions for all students suspended more than once, beginning with the 2010-2011 school year. In addition, the school district will track the success of these interventions and create a “best practice” for conducting effective interventions, replicating best practices from schools with low suspension rates.
