Assess Your School's Readiness for Non-Punitive Discipline 

Understanding your school’s current discipline approach, including why it is used, and attitudes toward change, can help you identify what assistance and resources are needed to move toward a more supportive, non-punitive response. 

A school’s readiness to shift away from punitive discipline exists along a spectrum. Schools may fall anywhere along it.   

 Red Zone

• Schools rely heavily on punitive discipline and use suspension as a first or only response to student nicotine use . Schools in the red zone often believe punishment deters future substance use and may be resistant to change. 

Purple Zone

• Schools may be open to non-punitive approaches but feel uncertain due to limited familiarity, time, or resources.  They may recognize that youth substance use is influenced by more than personal choice but are unsure how that understanding should shape enforcement practices. Schools in the purple zone often ask many questions as they explore new approaches. 

Blue Zone

• Schools are enthusiastic about non-punitive discipline and may already be using alternatives to suspension with follow-up supports. These schools sometimes struggle with consistency or capacity due to competing priorities. 

Not every school will be ready to adopt non-punitive discipline right away. Meet schools where they are, seek common ground, and support incremental change. As schools begin to see positive outcomes, continue encouraging a shift from punishment toward support. 

Tools You Can Use

• Use the Action for Healthy Kids Non-Punitive Approach to Discipline handout to communicate the basic pillars of supportive discipline and non-punitive measures to your school. 

Share Best Practices

A supportive non-punitive approach helps keep students engaged in school, reduces the likelihood of repeated offenses, improves relationships between students and staff and creates a more positive school climate.

While no single intervention works for every school, all supportive, non-punitive responses to tobacco-free policy violations should include:

• Exploration of underlying reasons for tobacco use.

• Instruction on short- and long-term physical, mental, and social health impacts.

• Education on social influences and tobacco industry marketing tactics.

• Skill-building to resist pressure and manage urges.

• Support for students who want to reduce or quit use.

For students with recurring infractions or additional risk factors, schools should:

• Use validated screening tools (e.g., Screening to Brief Intervention, CRAFFT.)

• Provide ongoing connections to cessation programs.

• Continue mental and behavioral health supports.

A Tiered Discipline Response Model helps school staff respond consistently and appropriately to repeated infractions while ensuring no gaps in student support. This model promotes equity by tailoring responses to each student’s needs rather than applying one-size-fits-all consequences.

Tools You Can Use

• The Action for Healthy Kids Tiered Discipline Response Toolkit guides schools through a series of escalating, supportive, non-punitive measures to use for students with repeated infractions.  

• Tobacco-Free Schools School-Level Policy Implementation, Education, & Enforcement Checklist: Reviews school practices that support prevention and restorative responses.