California schools saw another statewide drop in suspensions and expulsion, according to a report on Wednesday from state Superintendent Tom Torlakson.

Results were mixed in the William S. Hart Union High School District.

The Hart District saw a significant drop in suspensions – from 1,709 students in 2012-13 to just 620 in 2013-14 – while expulsions increased from 25 students to 35, according to California Department of Education data.

In an interview last January, which also saw a drop in suspensions or expulsions from the previous year, part of the decline was attributed to a change in the state’s Education Code, according to Kathy Hunter, the district’s director of student services.

A change in the state’s education code took effect Jan. 1, 2013, intended to lessen the number of suspensions and expulsions by school districts.

“The language explained that you’re not allowed to suspend or expel a student for a first-time violation,” Hunter said in a previous interview, “unless you can prove that the child is a danger or that you have utilized other means of correction to change the child’s behavior and that has not been effective.”

In addition to Sober School, which was launched in 2014, the district now has several programs, including a fairly new intervention-type curriculum, geared toward educating the student the issue or issues that are causing a specific behavioral problem, as well as correcting the behavior.

This came after an understanding that suspensions and expulsions aren’t always the best way to address a discipline problem, Hunter said.

“A suspension or expulsion is not specific to helping them learn a new behavior,” Hunter said previously.

 Locally, leading the way in the raw number of expulsions during the 2013-14 school year were Hart High, Sierra Vista Junior High and Rancho Pico Junior High, each with 5.

Next came Valencia High and Canyon High, each with 4.

As a percentage of the student population, the Hart District’s Sequoia Charter School registered the highest expulsion rate (2.9 percent of students) and suspension rate (18.8 percent).

Bowman High School reported the second-highest suspension rate, at 8.3 percent, followed by Sierra Vista (4.3 percent), La Mesa Junior High (3.3 percent), Canyon and West Ranch High (2.9 percent), Golden Valley High (2.8 percent) and SCVi Charter School (2.6 percent).

Reporting zero (0) expulsions for 2013-14 were Academy of the Canyons, Albert Einstein Academy, Learning Post, Mission View, Opportunities for Learning, Rio Norte Junior High, SCVi Charter and Transitional Learning Center Charter.

Reporting zero (0) suspensions were Academy of the Canyons, Mission View and Opportunities for Learning.

Overall, the Hart District’s suspension rate for 2013-14 was 2.2 percent, versus 2.8 percent for L.A. County and 4.4 for the state.

By comparison, the prior year’s suspension rate in the Hart District was 5.7 percent, somewhat higher than the county (3.5 percent) and state (5.1 percent) averages.

In both of the prior two years, the expulsion rate for each jurisdiction was a statistically insignificant 0.1 percent because the raw numbers are small compared to the total student population.

During 2013-14, the Hart District expelled 35 of a census population of 25,640. In Los Angeles County the numbers were 740 expulsions and a population of 1,552,704. Statewide, expulsions numbered 6,611 from a census population of 6.24 million.

Torlakson credited state programs for the overall decline in suspensions and expulsions.

“To reduce the number of expulsions and suspensions,” his statement said, “the CDE has taken several steps, including hosting a forum and workshops, and posting Behavioral Intervention Strategies and Supports. In addition, the CDE has worked with several education groups to develop restorative justice programs that promote respect, taking responsibility, and strengthening relationships.

“Before such programs were implemented, the greatest percentage of students suspended or expelled was for ‘willful defiance.’ For the second year in a row, the highest percentage declines came under this category. Last year, 261 fewer students were expelled for defiance-related offenses, down 47.7 percent from the year before. Another 76,296 fewer students were suspended for defiance-related offenses, down 28.9 percent from the year before.”