According to the U.S. Department of Education Office of Educational Research and Improvement, zero-tolerance procedures are policies that mandate predetermined consequences or punishments for …

Introduced in the mid-1990s, these policies aimed to address rising concerns about safety and discipline in schools, particularly related to weapons, drugs, and violent behavior.

The philosophy of zero tolerance, adapted from the war on drugs in the late 1980’s (see What is Zero Tolerance? sidebar on page 2), encourages a no-nonsense approach to school discipline, increasing …

This publication discusses research on zero tolerance, with a focus on what we do and don’t know. What’s clear, based on the evidence: a generation after the rise of these policies and practices, …

By the early 1990s, school systems began to adopt this “Broken Windows” approach, or zero tolerance, for minor school infractions by suspending students for up to 10 days. These infractions typically …

Although the goals of zero tolerance in terms of ensuring a safe and disciplined school climate must be supported, the implementation of zero tolerance has created continuing controversy by threatening …

Oct 3, 2016 · In the late 1980s and early 1990s, school violence was seen as a nationwide crisis. Fear over the spike in violence, and horrific school shootings like Columbine, ushered in the era of "zero …

Zero tolerance policies gained popularity amid a spike of school violence in the late 1980s and early 1990s, but the ...

Similar to this national trend, and sometimes serving as a model for the nation, New York City schools have increased their reliance on police personnel and zero tolerance policies to maintain safety in …

May 25, 2025 · Explore the history, effects, and alternatives to zero tolerance policies in education, and discover how they shape the learning environment.