Cornerstone Research provided pro bono analytical support for the LCCRSF’s review of behavior intervention policies in a California public school district.
Retained by Gibson Dunn and the Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area
The Lawyers’ Committee for Civil Rights of the San Francisco Bay Area (LCCRSF) contributed to an investigation into the effects of Modesto City Schools’ behavior policies on students of color. LCCRSF, along with a coalition of community members and other advocacy organizations, found that the school district’s policies had kept African American, Latino, and English Learner students out of instructional classrooms.
Cornerstone Research analyzed discipline and school assignment policy data. The data showed that Latino, African American, and English Learner students were suspended, expelled, and referred to alternative options at higher rates than both the general school population and the state average.
In May 2018, Modesto City Schools reached an agreement with the coalition. The school district has implemented a review process to make recommendations for improving policies to create an inclusive learning environment.
In recognition of this work, LCCRSF honored Cornerstone Research with the Robert G. Sproul Jr. Award, which is presented for exemplary provision of legal services to underrepresented communities.