| There is little or no information in the education literature on developing and implementing a discipline code in an urban high school. This study researched the current views of experts on the use and function of discipline codes; documented the development and implementation of a discipline code in a inner-city high school; and obtained and compared views on the adequacy of the model discipline code from people in similar high schools.;The principles of discipline which emerged in writing this discipline code and the process for developing and implementing the discipline code at an urban high school are documented. Three evaluations were conducted to obtain the respondents' views on the effectiveness of the discipline code and suggestions for improvements on the code. The instrument in the first evaluation was a questionnaire, the second evaluation employed the Delphi technique to reach agreement on necessary revisions, and the third evaluation used a structured interview to compare views of administrators and students on the discipline code.;A majority of the students, teachers, and administrators responding in the three evaluations felt that this particular discipline code was worthwhile and that it would be effective in improving behavior.;The steps taken during the first year in developing and implementing the Student Code of Conduct were to: determine the needs of the school; compile information on codes of conduct; obtain approval of the first draft; evaluate the code using responses from teachers, students, and principals; make suggested revisions; discuss and explain the code to the faculty and the students; put the code into effect; evaluate at the end of the year; and make revisions for the start of the new school year.;Experts in the field of school discipline agree that a written code of student conduct that is enforced fairly, firmly and consistently is one important step in decreasing school discipline problems.;The procedure described in this study for developing a discipline code might be an effective starting point for anyone wishing to revise or develop a discipline code in a secondary school. |
