Ending the school-to-prison pipeline requires change at every level — in classrooms, in district policy, in state law, and in the communities that hold all of it accountable. Here’s where to start.
For Families
Know and Use Your Rights
Washington law gives students and families significant rights in the discipline process — but those rights only work if you know to invoke them.
- Request a reengagement meeting before your child returns from a suspension or expulsion. It is your legal right, and it is an opportunity to put supports in place before they return.
- Ask what educational services your child will receive during any removal. The district is required to provide them regardless of the reason for the exclusion.
- If you believe your child’s discipline is connected to a disability, request a manifestation determination review before the district proceeds with a long-term exclusion.
- You can file a complaint with OSPI if you believe a district has violated state discipline rules.
For Educators
Build Alternatives in Your School
The most powerful pipeline interruptions happen before a student ever reaches the office.
- Advocate for restorative practices in your school — approaches that address harm, repair relationships, and keep students connected rather than removing them.
- Push for clear limits on when school resource officers are involved in student behavior that could be handled through school-based processes.
- Use your school’s discipline data — disaggregated by race and disability — to identify patterns and bring them to school leadership and the school board.
For Advocates & Community
Join the Coalition
Individual advocacy matters. Organized advocacy changes systems.
- Join the Coalition to End the School-to-Prison Pipeline — a statewide network of organizations and individuals working on discipline reform, school policing, and youth justice in Washington.
- Track legislation and rulemaking through our Policy Tracker, and show up when advocates are needed at hearings and comment periods.
- Share data and stories from your community — the pipeline is often invisible to decision-makers who don’t experience it directly.
Ready to get involved?
The coalition brings together advocates, educators, families, and policymakers across Washington. Find out how to add your voice.
Join the Coalition →