Students push for CDE task force and PPS training to expand restorative justice

A student panel urged lawmakers to invest in restorative justice by creating a task force through the California Department of Education and authorizing PPS‑certified staff (counselors, school psychologists, social workers) to use restorative practices when responding to misconduct.

Raylene Chaco, a sophomore at Monte Vista High School, cited the shift from punitive discipline to restorative approaches and referenced prior legislation and reports: students pointed to SB 274 (policy background cited in testimony), AB 1919 (a 2024 proposal that passed the Legislature but was vetoed by the governor), and AB 2598 as sources of best practices. They argued restorative practices can detect root causes and reduce exclusionary discipline across all demographic groups.

The students proposed a diverse, volunteer task force to develop online training materials for PPS‑certified staff and recommended that districts authorize trained PPS staff to participate in certain disciplinary proceedings to inform restorative recommendations. They acknowledged state funding would be needed to develop digital training and produce implementation supports.

Senator Cortezi and other legislators welcomed the approach but raised confidentiality concerns about student access to closed‑session materials and cautioned that volunteer task forces often still produce significant administrative costs. Committee members suggested careful drafting to preserve confidential hearing processes while maximizing student and trained staff input.

No formal action was taken; legislators offered to work with students and staff on technical and fiscal details.