BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — As the new school year begins, a plan continues in Brevard County schools to bring discipline in their classrooms.

According to Brevard County school district in 2022, teachers, some bus drivers and other staff said they were on the verge of resigning over student behavior.

Over the last year, Brevard Public Schools’ officials say they reduced in- and out-of-school suspension rates by 8%.

One teacher said that after going through one classroom disruption after another, it finally feels like she is getting the support she needs.

It’s prep time for Ralph Williams Elementary teacher Claudine Griffis, a 15-year veteran.

With a new school year upon her, Griffis said she is looking forward to the return of students to her classroom.

“There’s a lot of energy, not just the first day, but the first month of school," she said. "The kids are excited, we’re excited. Excited to get to know each other’s personalities."

But she said that while the beginning of any school year can be exciting, it also can be nerve-wracking. Over the last year, the school district has put major changes in place to restore discipline in classrooms.

“Classroom disruption was out of control," Griffis said. "We had kids that weren’t interested in learning, taking away the time from students who want to learn, and our job of teaching away from us."

She said that with continued support from the district, she’s seen a decline and hopes to see it continue.

Brevard Public Schools stated it is not just in the classroom. In 2022, 86% of bus drivers reported student misconduct was so bad they felt unsafe driving their bus.

School Board Chair Megan Wright said the problem was brought to her attention nearly every day.

“I’ve heard from many teachers who were on the verge of walking, they were done, and it had nothing to do with that they weren’t paid enough," Wright said. "All these reasons people think a teacher would leave. It’s because they didn’t have control and the capability to control their classroom."

The school district stated an audit recommended increased training for staff on discipline reporting and tracking. Plus, re-instituting the district's discipline committee to review procedures on a consistent basis.

“No one wants to be in a chaotic environment where kids are throwing furniture, or cussing a teacher out, or things of that nature," Wright said. "It’s not productive. So, I don’t think any child wants that, so we are just seeing that coming in line. We aren’t seeing that anymore, and our kids are obeying the rules and learning."

The board learned from the small sample size from last school year the plan is working. The number of days of in-school, and out-of-school suspensions decreased by 8%, and there were 1,000 fewer instances of “willful disobedience.”

Plus, 263 fewer students were sent to alternative learning centers.

Griffis says knowing the district and her administrators have her back is key to a worry-free classroom.

“So, we can keep the teaching and the learning going — that’s what it’s all about," she said. "It’s working, and the support is amazing."