Classroom behavior problems continue to persist in schools across the United States, according to an Education Week survey released this month. The survey found that 64 percent of teachers reported classroom behavior has gotten worse in the past year, with more than 60 educators offering solutions that range from smaller class sizes to increased parental involvement.

The survey results reflect ongoing challenges facing educators since the pandemic disrupted student behavior and school routines. Teachers identified their top solution as smaller class sizes, but also emphasized the need for parents to reinforce appropriate behavior at home.

What the Right Is Saying

Conservative educators and some parents argue that schools need stronger disciplinary tools and that parents must reinforce school expectations at home. They say the pendulum has swung too far toward lenient discipline.

Daniel Buck, a research fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former teacher and school administrator, said parents who resist formal punitive measures can undermine school discipline. "I think the majority of parents are still very supportive of discipline in schools," Buck said. "But it can be more difficult to work with parents who don't believe in formal punitive punishment, parents who think their kid can do no wrong and those who are not actually going to reinforce the school's norm at home."

Approximately 50 percent of teachers surveyed said tougher consequences such as suspensions or expulsions are needed. Educators in this camp argue that consistent, clear consequences help maintain classroom order.

Nicole Peterson, principal of Brentwood Middle School in Colorado, said educators must set clear expectations. "But if we aren't clear and consistent, then that's when we run into issues of being undermined," Peterson said. "We have every right to hold kids accountable in our spaces."

What the Left Is Saying

Progressive educators and some parent advocates argue that punitive disciplinary approaches have failed and that schools should focus on restorative practices. They say parents should be partners in the process, not blamed for their children's behavior.

Nancy Duchesneau, senior research manager and lead for social, emotional and academic development at EdTrust, said evidence-based practices are essential. "I think everyone needs instruction on how to support youth development and how to support student behavior. And so, it needs to be a co-creation, a partnership effort... the issue is not necessarily that educators know best or that parents know best. It's really just that we need to be making sure that collectively, we are using evidence-based practices to support student discipline," Duchesneau said.

Keri Rodrigues, president of the National Parents Union, pushed back on the notion that parents should not be involved in disciplinary decisions. "It's not possible for a parent to interfere with something happening with their own child," Rodrigues said. "We don't give up custody of our children when we send them to school, so the idea that we shouldn't be a part or allowed to have any kind of say... just comes across in a pretty aggressive and offensive way. Again, these are our children."

What the Numbers Show

The Education Week survey found that 64 percent of teachers reported classroom behavior has gotten worse over the past year. Over 55 percent of teachers said parents should receive instructions on teaching children appropriate classroom behavior. About 50 percent of teachers called for tougher consequences such as suspensions or expulsions.

A majority of educators surveyed supported restricting screentime in schools and limiting parents' ability to undermine punishments such as detention.

Justin Wax, principal of Denham Springs Junior High in Louisiana, said his school has cut suspensions and expulsions in half over the past three years by implementing alternatives to punishment, including tutoring during detention and programs such as a vaping education course.

The Bottom Line

The survey results highlight the ongoing debate about how to address student behavior in American schools. While teachers call for both smaller class sizes and greater parental support, the approach to discipline remains divisive.

Educators and parents agree that collaboration is essential, though they differ on methods. Some schools are implementing restorative practices as an alternative to suspension, while others argue that traditional consequences must remain available. The challenge for administrators is balancing evidence-based approaches with the expectations of teachers, parents and students themselves.

What remains clear is that both sides believe parental involvement is critical — though they disagree on what form that involvement should take.