EDCATS
Educational Development Center
ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSIONS PROGRAM
EDCATS is an alternative to suspension program for suspended middle and high school students in the Franklin County school system. The mission of EDCATS is to provide a safe, supervised educational placement for students who have violated the district discipline code. The goal of the program is to continue to offer educational services to students while removing them from their home school for the duration of the suspension.
Overview
The majority of students suspended from school are unsupervised during some if not all of the time away from school. The philosophy of the EDC Alternatives to Suspension program is to continue academic services to students in lieu of an out of school suspension. Students placed in the Alternatives to Suspension program are counted as present for that day of school. The Alternatives to Suspension classroom will be staffed by a combination of certified and classified staff (two staff members are recommended for safety and legal concerns). A classroom of 8-10 students and an office area for scheduling will be available. EDCATS is designed for middle and high school students only. Consideration for special education students requiring specially designed instruction is necessary and placement for these students may be limited.
School Administrators may use EDCATS for a variety of offenses or conduct violations. Violations that warrant EDCATS placement include; fighting, defiance, cutting/skipping school, repeated classroom disruptions, threatening and physical aggression. Severe legal violations involving drugs, weapons and public safety (involving students and/or staff) are not eligible for EDCATS.