MEMBERS OF THE AD HOC COMMITTEE ON DISCIPLINE OF THE NATIONAL SCHOOL BOARDS ASSOCIATION'S COUNCIL OF BIG CITY BOARDS OF EDUCATION STUDIED THE DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS IN THEIR OWN GEOGRAPHIC AREAS. SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS IN OVER 100 DISTRICTS WERE ASKED WHAT KINDS OF DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS THEY HAD AND WHAT APPROACHES THEY HAD FOUND BENEFICIAL IN DEALING WITH THE PROBLEMS. THE COMMITTEE'S REPORT DISCUSSES THE NATURE AND SCOPE OF DISCIPLINE, PARENTS AND THE DISCIPLINE PROBLEM, AND FACTORS THAT APPEAR TO CONTRIBUTE TO DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS. DATA ON CAUSES FOR SUSPENSION IN ELEMENTARY, JUNIOR HIGH, AND HIGH SCHOOLS ARE PRESENTED AND ANALYZED. PROGRAMS USED AS ALTERNATIVES TO SUSPENSION ARE DESCRIBED, INCLUDING ON-CAMPUS AND OFF-CAMPUS ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS PROVIDING SPECIAL FACILITIES FOR DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS, ADJUSTMENT TRANSFERS TO OTHER SCHOOLS, REFERRALS TO VOCATIONAL COUNSELORS OR VOCATIONAL SCHOOLS, STUDENT 'BUDDY' SYSTEMS, 'ADOPTION' BY TEACHERS, WITHDRAWAL OF PRIVILEGES, HOME VISITS BY SCHOOL STAFF, PARENT VOLUNTEER PROGRAMS, AND COMMUNITY-BASED DISCIPLINE TASK FORCES. EXAMPLES OF SPECIFIC PROGRAMS ARE CITED, AS ARE THE VIEWS OF SOME OF THE SCHOOL BOARD MEMBERS SURVEYED. THE COMMITTEE'S FINDINGS INDICATE THAT DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS ARE MOST SERIOUS IN THE JUNIOR AND EARLY SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL YEARS, THAT DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS ARE NOT NECESSARILY MORE COMMON AMONG MINORITY STUDENTS, AND THAT NONATTENDANCE (TARDINESS, TRUANCY, CUTTING CLASS) IS THE MOST FREQUENT CAUSE OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION. OTHER FREQUENTLY CITED PROBLEMS ARE VIOLATIONS OF SCHOOL REGULATIONS, ASSAULTS, VERBAL ABUSE OF TEACHERS, THEFT, VANDALISM, AND CLASS DISRUPTIONS. THE COMMITTEE RECOMMENDS THAT SCHOOL DISTRICTS WITH DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS ESTABLISH A TASK FORCE; INVOLVE STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, AND ADMINISTRATORS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF DISCIPINE POLICES AND PROCEDURES; DISTRIBUTE ALL WRITTEN POLICIES AND PROCEDURES TO STUDENTS, PARENTS, TEACHERS, ADMINISTRATORS, AND OTHER SCHOOL EMPLOYEES; OFFER INSERVICE TRAINING TO HELP TEACHERS DEAL WITH DISRUPTIVE STUDENTS CONSISTENTLY AND FAIRLY; ENCOURAGE EMPLOYEES TO EXERCISE THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS (INCLUDING THE RIGHT TO SEARCH STUDENTS WHEN CONDITIONS SO WARRANT) TO PREVENT VIOLENCE; SUPPORT EMPLOYEES WHEN THEIR EXERCISE OF AUTHORITY IS CHALLENGED; AND ESTABLISH ALTERNATIVE PROGRAMS (E.G., INSCHOOL SUSPENSION FROM REGULAR CLASSES, ALTERNATIVE CLASSES, OUT-OF-SCHOOL ALTERNATIVES) FOR STUDENTS WITH CHRONIC DISCIPLINE PROBLEMS. SAMPLE POLICIES ON STUDENT DISCIPLINE ARE INCLUDED. (LKM)