Restoring Order to the Classroom

Restoring Order to the Classroom is a comprehensive policy brief that exposes the growing crisis of disorder within America’s K–12 schools and outlines a clear roadmap for rebuilding safe, stable learning environments. Drawing on national survey data, real-world case studies, and an examination of modern discipline trends, the report demonstrates how permissive, restorative-justice-driven models have failed students, teachers, and families.

The paper explains that academic success is only possible when classrooms are anchored in order and security—a “cornerstone” upon which the entire educational experience is built. Yet as schools across the country have shifted toward lenient or inconsistent disciplinary practices, disruptive and violent behavior has surged, teacher retention has suffered, and student achievement has plummeted. These trends accelerated after the COVID-19 pandemic, leaving educators increasingly unsupported and students increasingly unsafe.

Through examples from New York City, Oregon, Boston, and Las Vegas, the report illustrates how restorative justice practices often fail to hold repeat offenders accountable, creating environments where victims are unprotected and teachers lack authority. National test scores and teacher surveys reinforce the urgency: disorder is rising, learning is declining, and communities are demanding change.

Restoring Order to the Classroom also highlights emerging momentum for reform. States such as West Virginia, Arkansas, and Ohio have enacted new laws empowering teachers, strengthening consequences for violent behavior, and restoring common-sense discipline. Federal action has also begun, reflecting a growing bipartisan acknowledgment that safety must come before ideology.

The report concludes with a detailed set of recommended action items for school board members, offering practical strategies to:

• Establish clear and enforceable codes of conduct
• Empower teachers to remove disruptive students
• Implement safety audits and behavioral tracking
• Strengthen school security
• Increase parental engagement and accountability
• Monitor outcomes to support teacher retention

Designed as both a diagnostic and a blueprint, Restoring Order to the Classroom provides school leaders, policymakers, and parents with the tools needed to restore sanity, rebuild trust, and refocus schools on their fundamental mission: educating children in safe, orderly, and high-expectation environments.