For the fifth straight year, school suspensions and expulsions have declined in California. But if you look only at the high schools, where most of the behavior problems occur, suspension numbers tend to be up. The California Department of Education says the Nevada Joint Union High School District handed out 350 for the 2016-2017 year, compared to 318 for 2015-2016. District Superintendent Louise Johnson says many are related to drug offenses. But she says they’ve been working harder on reducing student conflicts, including fighting…

click to listen to Louise Johnson

Johnson says some students are also suspended for conflicts with teachers. She says there’s now more clarity on what a student can be punished for during those situations…

click to listen to Louise Johnson

But the state says 72% of the cases were for one-time offenders. Johnson says the increase doesn’t likely mean there’s a growing problem of misbehavior, but that more students are being caught. And she says there will likely be another increase for the current school year, with the installation of more surveillance cameras. Students are commonly suspended for 5 days and also have a right to a hearing. Meanwhile, no students were expelled in the district last school year, and only 1 the previous year.