Consistent, defensible discipline decisions start with a matrix: escalating consequence levels for each category of behavior, so the same behavior gets the same response every time. This free PDF gives you a complete starting point:
16 behavior categories × 5 consequence levels — from disruption and tardiness through fighting, drugs, and weapons, with severe behaviors starting high
Judgment-call guidance for the nine highest-stakes categories — the aggravating and mitigating factors that move a decision up or down a level
Five principles for using a matrix well — predictability, escalation, consistency, never going backward, and adjusting for circumstances (not students)
Print-ready landscape format — the matrix itself is one page, made to pin up next to your desk
Justin Baeder, PhD
Director, The Principal Center
“It doesn’t matter nearly as much what your exact policies are as that you follow them consistently. Predictability is what protects the learning environment—and what protects you when someone asks ‘why did that student get that consequence?’ This matrix gives you the starting point. Adapt it to your school’s policy, share it with your team, and put it to work.”
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