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PPS Board Members Shocked By Report On Discipline In District

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) - Pittsburgh Public Schools officials are reportedly shocked by new data on discipline in the district.

Board members got their first look at it last night.

This was part of a 90-day plan that the Superintendent Dr. Anthony Hamlet had requested in order to determine what needed to be changed. Those changes will be implemented as part of a five-year plan.

According to our news partners at the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette, an independent consultant hired by the district looked at a number of things, including community and student surveys and state education data.

Hamlet said he plans to address several issues the consultant saw, including the current state of proficiency in math and literacy and to make sure all students have the skills needed to succeed in college and to eliminate racial disparity in achievement levels.

"If I had to pick one initiative that we need to have to close the achievement gap, it would be to come to school on grade level ready to read in kindergarten, second and third grade," he said. "There's a huge gap when it comes to African-American students and our white students, so again, looking at that achievement gap and looking at making sure that we support our children early and often."

Hamlet is confident that it'll happen with the support from the district office and community.

"My main purpose was to look, listen and learn. Find out as much about the district as I can so I can find out what we are because we need to have that reality first before we can move forward," he said.

The most alarming part of the report showed that more than 9 percent of students were disciplined in the 2014-15 school year. Of those disciplined, more than 95 percent were suspended.

Those stats are double the numbers from the Philadelphia Public School District.

Dr. Hamlet said he finds that statistic difficult to believe and wants to dig deeper to see if its accurate.

"We want to reduce that regardless. So, there's things we want to look at to make sure we have accurate reporting systems as well - detailed reporting systems so we're not putting a lower level offense in Pittsburgh that would be a higher level offense in Philadelphia," he said.

The consultant said the discipline incidents here did not involve violent crimes.

There were a few bright spots in the report, including the quality and dedication of staff as well as the Pittsburgh Promise and early childhood programs.

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