(a) The Office of the State Superintendent of Education shall provide an array of supports to assist local education agencies and schools to achieve the goals of §§ 38-236.03 through 38-236.05 and to adopt trauma-informed disciplinary practices. The OSSE shall provide local education agencies and schools with, among other supports, the following:

• (1) Guidance and materials that inform local education agencies and school communities about developments in the fields of school climates and behavioral management;
• (2) Regular, high-quality professional development opportunities and technical assistance, and recommendations for further instruction outside of these opportunities, for local education agency and school personnel on:
  • (A) Trauma and chronic stress, their effects on students and learning, and effective responses;
  • (B) Classroom management, positive behavioral interventions, and fostering positive school climate;
  • (C) Disciplinary approaches that utilize instruction and correction;
  • (D) Restorative practices and other evidence-based or promising behavioral interventions;
  • (E) Implementation of high-quality functional behavior assessments, behavioral intervention plans, and manifestation determination reviews, as those terms are used in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, approved December 3, 2004 (118 Stat. 2745; 20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.); and
  • (F) Implicit bias and culturally responsive corrective action techniques;
• (3) Opportunities for local education agencies and schools to share promising practices regarding the topics in paragraph (2) of this subsection; and
• (4) Technical assistance and supportive services to assist local education agencies and schools, as needed and in accordance with policies OSSE adopts, in reducing the use of exclusion by addressing the causes of student misconduct and the development and revision of disciplinary plans.

This webpage provides information on the importance of equity and culturally responsive approaches in education and links to further resources and OSSE's upcoming training offerings on equity, school climate, and culturally responsive practices.