Arlington ISD highlights steep drop in discipline incidents, details campus restorative efforts

Arlington ISD officials on April 3 told the Board of Trustees that a year of targeted behavior work — a district behavior task force, expanded professional learning for teachers and administrators, and campus‑specific PBIS and restorative practices — has already reduced serious discipline referrals.

District staff member TJ Jarko, introducing the report, said the emphasis on building teacher capacity and campus‑level behavior support plans has produced “positive momentum” and more proactive responses to student behavior. He told trustees that, measured through February, the district expects roughly 13,000 fewer discipline incidents compared with the prior year.

Board members heard three campus examples intended to show how the models work in practice. Marissa Guzman, principal of Goodman Elementary, described morning SEL check‑ins in a pre‑K class that let students signal needs and ease transitions. “One of her students said, ‘my cup is empty,’ and the teacher was able to meet that need,” Guzman said, attributing the reduction in disruptive episodes to the practice.

Workman Junior High’s principal Erin Fogelman and restorative specialist Kai Smith described daily SEL lessons in ISS, updated mediation logs and check‑ins for students after mediations, and a stronger system for following up with families. “We still have altercations, but the intensity and length are down because we get there faster,” Fogelman said.

At Bowie High School, principal Lee Jones and restorative practice specialist Josh Church described a student‑led nonviolence effort, the Strather Peace Project, which created student ambassadors, marketing teams and events. Church said Bowie set a goal to reduce fights by 50%; he reported the campus was at a 48% reduction with two months remaining in the school year.

Trustees pressed on whether falling referral counts reflected a real drop in problems or changes in referral practice. Jarko and Superintendent Doctor Smith said the district has focused on consistent referral metrics (flags such as physical aggression, fights, classroom disruption and walking out) and added supports so teachers know how to respond earlier — a mix of prevention and clear consequences when required.

Board members urged continued attention to Tier 2 and Tier 3 capacity — interventions for students who need more intensive, individualized supports — and endorsed the district’s ongoing plan to revise and reflect on strategies in April, May and over the summer.

The district framed the work as both cultural and technical: strengthen adult capacity and systems so teachers can spend more time teaching, and students more time learning.