Hampstead Hill Academy, a public charter school for elementary age students in Baltimore, Maryland, adopted the use of restorative practices school-wide beginning in January 2008. Hampstead Hill partners with the Baltimore Curriculum Project, "a nonprofit organization that empowers four neighborhood charter schools in East Baltimore with the tools they need to help every child succeed." Baltimore Curriculum Project also works with City Springs Elementary School.
Below are some of the statistical data that Hampstead Hill has used to assess the impact of restorative practices on discipline and the school environment.
Data Reflecting Impact of Restorative Practices at Hampstead Hill Academy
Suspension & detention data
From Year 1 to Year 2 of implementation there was a 33% decrease in the number of suspensions that were given; there was a 9.6% increase in enrollment over same time period.
From Year 1 to Year 5 of implementation there has been an overall decrease of 25.7% in the number of detentions given, and a 25.2% increase in enrollment over same time period.
From 2010-11 SY to 2011-12 SY there was a 10.6% increase in detentions with a 6.5% increase in enrollment. The school notes that during spring 2012 it began additional restorative practices training, started professional learning groups, a restorative practice in which teachers and administrators use a circle format to share their experience and support each others professional development, and had IIRP deliver trainings in August and October, 2012.
This school year the school is showing a 53% decrease in the number of detentions assigned during the same time period last year with an additional increase in enrollment of 7.2%.
Maryland State Assessment Data
From Year 1 to Year 2 of implementation, there was a:
- 9.1% increase in the number of students in grades 3-5 that were proficient or advanced in Reading/Language Arts
- 26.2% increase in the number of students in grades 6-8 that were proficient or advanced in Reading/Language Arts
- 37.5% increase in the number of students in grades 3-5 that were proficient or advance in Mathematics
- 48.4% increase in the number of students in grades 6-8 that were proficient or advance in Mathematics
Family and Community Engagement
From Year 1 to Year 2 of implementation:
- The number of members in the PTO nearly tripled.
- The number of community and parent volunteers increased by 44%.
- The percent of parents participating in parent/teacher conferences increased by 10%.
- The percent of parents participating in IEP Team meetings increased by 45%.
- The percent of parent climate surveys returned increased by 60%.
Climate survey results (part of a city-wide survey of all Baltimore public schools)
Over the last 3 school years, in the area of school safety, there has been an annual increase in the percentage of students agreeing with the following statements:
- Fighting among students is not a problem at this school.
- Students picking on students is not a problem at this school.
- Gangs are not a problem at this school.
- I feel safe at this school.
- Students feel safe at this school.
Over the last 3 school years, in the area of school safety, there has been an annual increase in the percentage of parents agreeing with the following statements:
- Students feel safe at this school.
- Students feel safe going to and from school.
- My child’s school is making progress with school safety.
