The PROMISE of Broward County Schools

What is PROMISE?

PROMISE is an acronym for “Preventing Recidivism through Opportunities, Mentoring, Intervention, Supports and Education.” It is an intervention based program intended to safeguard the student from entering the juvenile delinquency system. In July 2013, Broward County Schools implemented this policy to help stave the student to prison pipeline.

What behaviors are covered by the PROMISE Program?

According to the current 2017-2020 Code for Student Conduct of Broward County Schools, the list of PROMISE eligible incidents are:

1. Disruption on Campus-Major*
2. Trespassing*
3. Alcohol–Use/Possession/Under the Influence*
4. Alcohol Sale/Attempted Sale/Transmittal*
5. Drug–Use/Possession/Under the Influence*
6. Drug Paraphernalia–Possession*
7. Bullying
8. Harassment
9. Fighting-Mutual Combat*
10. False Accusation Against School Staff *
11. Assault/Threat (no harm or injury)*
12. Theft-Petty <$300*
13. Vandalism/Damage to Property <$1,000*

Of the thirteen eligible incidents, eleven of them are qualified with this statement: "*Upon the fourth cumulative incident within a school year of any incident denoted with an asterisk in the above list, the student shall be referred to law enforcement, unless the Discipline Matrix requires such a referral sooner.

"Also noted: A student, who has accrued three cumulative incidents from the list above, in a school year, shall be referred to the Behavior Intervention Committee. " (K-5th only)

The Code for Student Conduct goes on to say,
• Although Policy 5006: Suspension and Expulsion, specifically outlines consequences for drug offenses by incident (i.e. first, second, third offense, etc.), the continuum of consequences for all other PROMISE incidents are referenced in the Discipline Matrix – Appendix A.
• For PROMISE eligible incidents/violations: if the parent/student refuses the PROMISE program, then they will be referred to the Juvenile Justice System of Care. The Juvenile Justice System of Care (JJSC) is an intervention created by an Interagency Agreement of which Broward County Public Schools is a party.
• Should the parent/student still refuse to participate in the PROMISE program, the child may be arrested.
• When a parent/student accepts the PROMISE program but fails to fulfill the requirements of the program, the parent/student shall be referred to the Juvenile Justice System of Care. Should the parent/student still refuse to complete the program, the child may be arrested.

Apparently, the marked (*) offenses can be permitted under the PROMISE Program up to FOUR times before a referral to law enforcement is made. The first and second offense is covered by the PROMISE Program Cycle. The third offense results in a referral to the Behavior Intervention Committee (BIC). (K-5th only)

Interpreting the PROMISE Program

Below is my graphical interpretation of the above described PROMISE Program.

I find it interesting that 11 out of 13 eligible incidents are marked as an exception (*), leaving only two items that do not potentially end in an arrest: Bullying and Harassment. I am left wondering if these two behaviors can be perpetually trapped in the PROMISE program, as the principal does have the final say.

Even though there is an extensive matrix for behavior, the Code Book notes:
"The Discipline Matrix sets forth the guidelines for assessing consequences for violations of School Board policies. School principals have the discretion to deviate from these guidelines by assessing an appropriate consequence other than stated in the Matrix if he or she determines in his or her sole discretion that there are mitigating or aggravating circumstances."

"A Recommendation for the Behavior Intervention Program applies when elementary level student (Grades K-5) commits an offense for which a secondary student would receive a mandatory expulsion under School Board Policy 5006.(found in the Discipline Matrix Appendix A)."

So basically, the principal can pretty much decide what he wants to do.

If you would like to review The Code Book of Student Conduct of Broward County School, go to their website at http://www.browardschools.com/codeofconduct.

Noteworthy Pages

The Discipline Matrix is located on pages 80 – 103.
• Grades K-2nd begin on Page 81;
• 3rd-5th, page 87,
• 6th-8th, page 93, and
• 9th-12th, page 99.

The PROMISE Program begins on page 58.

Page 46 includes the long list of agencies that can receive information if you provide your social security number. One of these agencies include this entry, in regard to the PROMISE Program:

Information sharing pursuant to the Interagency Agreement between SBBC, the Department of Juvenile Justice, Circuit 17, the Broward County Chiefs of Police Association, Inc., the Seventeenth Judicial Circuit In and For Broward County, Florida, the Florida Department of
Children and Families, the State Attorney of the Seventeenth Circuit In and For Broward County, and the Sheriff of Broward County, Florida. (Authorized by FERPA 34 CFR 99.31(5))

The Interagency Agreement referred to above can be found here: https://www.scribd.com/document/371916407/Broward-Co-Collaborative-Agreement-on-School-Discipline-MOU.

Here are some images from the Code Book.

(last page of code book)

(page 107)

(inside cover)

Interesting Tidbit: The word “arrest” only appears three times in this 146 page document. Once in the above picture, and the others are in reference to the PROMISE Program (p. 58).

Additional Related Resources:
• http://browardschools.com/News-And-Events/News/BCPS-and-Community-Partners-Sign-Collaborative-Agr#.Wpn86iGN0Xu

• Since its implementation at the start of the 2013/14 school year, 1,000 BCPS students have successfully completed the PROMISE program and returned to their regular school environment. Of these students, the overwhelming majority (94 percent) have not engaged again in negative behaviors that could lead to an arrest or involvement with the Department of Juvenile Justice.
(http://www.browardschools.com/News-And-Events/News/BCPS-is-Celebrating-1,000-PROMISES#.Wpn9yyGN0Xt) [Honestly, I would love to see the data they used to come up with that number.]

• Source Board Meeting Item for PROMISE with attached documents in file: http://bcpsagenda.browardschools.com/agenda/1960H/55224/index.html -board agenda 7/23/13

• Current Code Book for Student Conduct can be found here: http://www.browardschools.com/codeofconduct

Thanks for reading! I am not much of a writer. I just like to share information.

[Disclaimer: I do not have children in any Florida school system. I am your average person interpreting the written word of this particular Code Book of Student Conduct. I do not have any connection to Broward County Florida, it’s school board or law enforcement agencies, or the tragedy that occurred there. All information has been obtained publicly through the internet.]