Responsibility-Centered Discipline

Helping schools build systems that help kids learn to take responsibility for their behaviors, and thus, create an environment that brings out the best in everyone.

40%

Reduction in Discipline Referrals in Year 1

Columbus, OH

60%

Reduction in In-School Suspensions by Year 2

Corning, NY

50%

Reduction in Office Referrals by Year 2

Campbell County, KY

97%

Reduction in Lunch Detentions by Year 5

Mound City, KS

 

Responsibility-Centered Discipline (RCD) has helped educators across North America transform student discipline and improve school climate over the past decade. Not only have RCD schools seen significant decreases in office referrals, detentions and suspensions, they have also moved away from an obedience-based classroom discipline model to a model that is centered on students taking responsibility for their own behavior as well as their own academic success.

As schools drive toward improving academic results, educators have become far more purposeful in enhancing curriculum, refining assessment and enriching instruction. But without improving classroom management and discipline in education, all of these other efforts will ultimately fall short of expectations.

Educators understand that behavior and effort are often impacted by the relationships they have built with students. When emotions escalate, those relationships are tested — and often damaged. Responsibility-Centered Discipline helps educators to be prepared when situations come to a boil. By empowering educators to effectively manage challenging behaviors in the classroom — or “challenging moments” — RCD schools typically see a significant improvement not only in behavior management, but also in student and teacher satisfaction, school climate and academic achievement.

Some of the School Systems we have worked with

We have trained schools in more than 45 states and Canada.

LEARN MORE ABOUT RESPONSIBILITY-CENTERED DISCIPLINE

See What Educators Have to Say

"RCD completely changed my school. In the first year, it reduced the total number of written office referrals from teachers to three, and we eliminated detention. Don’t ever question what you do. RCD is the best practical, real-world solution that works – on the toughest issues that schools face.”
Principal
Crookston, MN
“I was introduced to RCD two years ago, and it has been absolutely transformational. This approach has shifted the “burden” off my shoulders, and it has allowed me to effectively support students in any interaction.”
Teacher
South FL
“I had numerous staff, both veteran and new, say it’s the best professional development they’ve ever received around student behaviors, building relationships, and giving them tools they feel can help keep kids in their classroom more and not have to send them out for help.”
Principal
Forest Lake, MN
“Responsibility-Centered Discipline makes sense and it works. The Give ‘em Five guided conversation provides practitioners with a system to assert student strengths and visibility, revisit expectations without judgment, and provide students a way toward correction with dignity. Calmer campus and cooler heads are the result for all.”
Assistant Principal
Seattle, WA
“Responsibility-Centered Discipline has been a game changer for our school. Under the tutelage of Larry Thompson, our staff has learned how to coach children in taking ownership for their actions and to make better choices. The students are encouraged to reflect on their behavior and to explore alternative options. Overall, RCD, has provided our faculty and students an opportunity to grow and learn in a positive environment.”
Head of Campuses
Plainview, NY
"As a school psychologist I have worked with Responsibility-Centered Discipline at Youthville and Hesston High School. The RCD team has implemented one of the few district wide behavior management programs that I have observed in the past 29 years that actually works."
School Psychologist
Newton, KS
"The RCD discipline system has changed our school climate. Our office referrals are down by 50% and I am having the best conversations with students and parents since I became a principal."
High School Principal
Felicity, OH
“Responsibility-Centered Discipline has significantly improved our high school culture. While we have always cared about our students and their growth, prior to our exposure to RCD, difficult conversations and challenging problems were addressed in a far more transactional and punishment-oriented way. RCD training has guided us to have robust teacher-student conversations and more effective follow-up. We have designed and implemented better student policies. Our administrators and teachers are now more consistently lifting our students up to be good citizens of our school community.”
Head of School
Memphis, TN
“Since we began using RCD this year, we’ve noticed stronger connections with students and a decrease in office referrals for misbehavior. We use a tool from RCD called ‘Give ‘em Five’ that helps support and guide students as they find better ways to deal with a conflict. It has totally eliminated the practice of using ‘time off’ as a punishment and has actually helped our students build effective and long-lasting conflict management skills. What a difference we’re seeing already!”
Dean of Students
Akron, OH
“While our school is still a work in progress, the RCD process has made a profound impact on many of our teachers and my practice as an Assistant Principal. The framework provides teachers and administrators with the confidence to handle those challenging moments with emotional control and consistency. We had teachers that went from writing multiple referrals each year to zero, and the credit for that goes to the implementation of RCD. I would highly recommend RCD to any school or school system.”
Assistant Principal
Bossier City, LA
"RCD places the student at the heart of every presentation. Those in attendance walk away with practical applications to use immediately in their classrooms. You will walk away refreshed and feel great about the role you can play in the lives of students!"
High School Principal
Greensboro, NC