If your school uses a merits/demerits system for discipline, you can set up Discipline Plus to track merits and/or demerits.

Important: Although you can use Discipline Plus to track merits and demerits, the program is designed to support a traditional approach to discipline based on handling infractions with punitive actions.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

• Track Merits and Demerits
• Merit and Demerit Discipline Codes
• Track Merits and Demerits Separately
• Set Up Discipline Codes to Track Merits and Demerits Separately
• Subtract Merits from Demerits or Demerits from Merits
• Set Up Discipline Codes to Subtract Merits from Demerits or Demerits from Merits
• Track Demerits Only
• Set Up Discipline Codes to Track Only Demerits

Track Merits and Demerits

You can set up Discipline Plus to track merits and/or demerits in one of the following ways:

To begin tracking student behavior in your school, you must set up your Merit and Demerit Discipline Codes based on your school's policies on student conduct.

Important: Although you can use Discipline Plus to track merits and demerits, the program is designed to support a traditional approach to discipline based on handling infractions with punitive actions.

Merit and Demerit Discipline Codes

To begin tracking student behavior in your school, you must set up your discipline codes based on your school's policies on student conduct. The table below describes the five discipline codes as they are used by Discipline Plus in a merit/demerit system.

Important: Although you can use Discipline Plus to track merits and demerits, the program is designed to support a traditional approach to discipline based on handling infractions with punitive actions. Because some of the discipline codes are linked, you must set them up in the order shown in the table.

Track Merits and Demerits Separately

You can set up your discipline codes to track merits and demerits separately. For example, assume a teacher is submitting a disciplinary incident from their portal. The teacher enters the infraction "Violating computer usage policy". Because this is the first time the student has committed this infraction, Discipline Plus adds the default action for the first occurrence ("Demerits Given: 1") to the incident form. The teacher completes the form and submits it.

In Discipline Plus, you receive the incident from the holding bin. (See Add Incidents Submitted by Teachers and Staff.) When you save the incident to the student's discipline record, Discipline Plus adds 1 to the student's demerit totals.

A week later, the same student earns a merit for helping a new student. You create an incident and add the infraction "Merits Awarded". Discipline Plus applies the action "Merits Given: 1" and adds 1 to the student's outstanding merit totals.

Important: Although you can use Discipline Plus to track merits and demerits, the program is designed to support a traditional approach to discipline based on handling infractions with punitive actions. In a merit/demerit system, infractions can be linked to both demerits and merits.

Set Up Discipline Codes to Track Merits and Demerits Separately

You can track merits and demerits without subtracting from their totals using the following steps:

Step 1: Create a Merit and Demerit Penalty Code.

Create a penalty code for merits and another one for demerits.

1. On the Shortcut bar, click Discipline, and then click Codes.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Code, type MER.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. In Description, type Merits.
5. Click Accept [F10]  to save your settings.
6. Repeat steps 2 through 5 to create a Demerit penalty code.
   

Step 2: Create Action Codes.

Create action codes for each amount of merit and demerit you want to give. You can define up to 250 actions.

1. In the same dialog box, click the Action list tab.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Code, type an abbreviated code for the action.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. See the figure and table below for the remaining options.
   

5. Click Add [F2] to create another action code.

Step 3: Create Infraction Codes.

Create infraction codes for each behavior that results in merits or demerits being given. You can link each infraction to up to six actions so that the appropriate action is automatically applied. You can create up to 250 infractions.

Note: You can create infraction codes for specific positive or negative behaviors, such as "Tutoring Students" or "Cheating". You can also create generic infraction codes, such as "Merits Given" or "Demerits Given", for unanticipated positive or negative behavior.

1. In the same dialog box, click the Infraction list tab.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Codes, type an abbreviated code for the infraction.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. In Description, type a description for the infraction using up to 40 characters.
5. Optional: Under Default Actions, click next to 1 and then click Lookup [F6] to select a default action for the first occurrence of the infraction. Repeat this step to create additional default actions.

Example

For the infraction "Merits Awarded", you could link the actions "Merits Given: 1" (MER1) to the first occurrence, "Merits Given: 2" (MER2) to the second occurrence, and "Merits Given: 3" (MER3) to the third occurrence.

Note: If you know the code for the action you want use, you can type it in the Code column.

If you don’t want to assign an action for the first infraction, leave the first action code blank.

Step 4: Create Location Codes.

Optionally, you can create location codes to describe where or when an infraction occurs. (See Add Location Codes to the Location List.)

Subtract Merits from Demerits or Demerits from Merits

You can set up your discipline codes to subtract merits from demerits or to subtract demerits from merits. For example, assume a teacher is submitting a disciplinary incident from their portal. The teacher enters the infraction "Violating computer usage policy". Because this is the first time the student has committed this infraction, Discipline Plus adds the default action for the first occurrence ("Demerits Given: 1") to the incident form. The teacher completes the form and submits it.

Important: Although you can use Discipline Plus to track merits and demerits, the program is designed to support a traditional approach to discipline, based on handling infractions with punitive actions.

In Discipline Plus, you receive the incident from the holding bin. (See Add Incidents Submitted by Teachers and Staff.) When you save the incident to the student's discipline record, Discipline Plus adds 1 to the student's demerit totals.

Two days later, the same student earns their first merit for saving another student from choking. You create an incident and add the infraction "Merits Awarded". Discipline Plus applies the action "Merits Given: 1". Because the merit action has a negative penalty amount (-1), Discipline Plus subtracts 1 from the student's outstanding demerit totals.

Note: You can use the same incident to award a student five different merits.

Set Up Discipline Codes to Subtract Merits from Demerits or Demerits from Merits

To set up your merit/demerit system so that one penalty subtracts from the other, follow these steps:

Step 1: Create a Penalty Code.

Create a penalty code for the penalty category (merits or demerits) you want to track. For example, if you're accumulating demerits, create a "Demerits" penalty code.

1. On the Shortcut bar, click Discipline, and then click Codes.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Code, type MER or DEM.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. In Description, type Merits or Demerits.
5. Click Accept [F10] to save your settings.
   

Step 2: Create Action Codes.

Create action codes for each amount of merit and demerit added to or subtracted from students' merit or demerit totals. You can define up to 250 actions.

1. In the same dialog box, click the Action list tab.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Code, type an abbreviated code for the action.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. See the figure and table below for the remaining options.
   

Example: You create the action "Merits Given: 1", link it to the penalty “Demerits”, and assign it a penalty amount of -1. When this action is applied, 1 is subtracted from the student's demerit totals.

5. Click Add [F2] to create another action code.

Step 3: Create Infraction Codes.

Create infraction codes for the behaviors that result in demerits and merits being given. You can create up to 250 infractions.

Note: You can create infraction codes for specific positive or negative behavior, such as "Tutoring Students" or "Cheating". You can also create generic infraction codes (such as "Merits Awarded") for unanticipated positive behavior.

1. In the same dialog box, click the Infraction list tab.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Codes, type an abbreviated code for the infraction.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. In Description, type a description for the infraction using up to 40 characters.
5. Optional: Under Default Actions, click next to 1 and then click Lookup [F6] to select a default action for the first occurrence of the infraction. Repeat this step to create additional default actions.

Example

For the infraction "Merits Awarded", you could link the actions "Merits Given: 1" (MER1) to the first occurrence, "Merits Given: 2" (MER2) to the second occurrence, and "Merits Given: 3" (MER3) to the third occurrence.

Note: If you know the code for the action you want use, you can type it in the Code column.

If you don’t want to assign an action for the first infraction, leave the first action code blank.

6. Click Accept [F10] to save your settings.
   

Step 4: Create Location Codes.

Optionally, you can create location codes to describe where or when an infraction occurs. (See Add Location Codes to the Location List.)

Track Demerits Only

You can set up your discipline codes to track demerits only. For example, assume a teacher is submitting a disciplinary incident from their portal. The teacher enters the infraction "Violating computer usage policy". Because this is the first time the student has committed this infraction, Discipline Plus adds the default action for the first occurrence ("Demerits Given: 1") to the incident form. The teacher completes the form and submits it.

In Discipline Plus, you receive the incident from the holding bin. (See Add Incidents Submitted by Teachers and Staff.) When you save the incident to the student's discipline record, Discipline Plus adds 1 to the student's demerit totals.

When you generate an attendance form listing students with outstanding demerits, the student appears on the form. (See Generate an Attendance Form for Penalties.) When the student serves the consequences for the demerit and the appropriate served code ("Demerits Served: 1") is entered for the student (either manually or using Fast Served), Discipline Plus subtracts the served code penalty amount (1) from the student's outstanding demerit totals. (See About Entering Time Served for Penalties.)

Important: Although you can use Discipline Plus to track merits and demerits, the program is designed to support a traditional approach to discipline, based on handling infractions with punitive actions.

Set Up Discipline Codes to Track Only Demerits

To only track demerits, subtracting from demerit totals when a student serves a penalty for an infraction, create your discipline codes using the following steps:

Step 1: Create a Demerit Penalty Code.

Create a Demerits penalty code.

1. On the Shortcut bar, click Discipline, and then click Codes.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Code, type DEM.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. In Description, type Demerits.
5. Click Accept [F10] to save your settings.
   

Step 2: Create Action Codes.

Create action codes for each amount of demerit you want to give. You can define up to 250 actions.

1. In the same dialog box, click the Action list tab.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Code, type an abbreviated code for the action.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. See the figure and table below for the remaining options.
   

5. Click Add [F2] to create another action code.

Step 3: Create Infraction Codes.

Create an infraction code for each behavior and link each infraction to up to six actions. You can create up to 250 infractions.

1. In the same dialog box, click the Infraction list tab.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Code, type an abbreviated code for the infraction.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. In Description, type a description for the infraction (such as "Cheating") using up to 40 characters.
5. Optional: Under Default Actions, click next to 1 and then click Lookup [F6] to select a default action for the first occurrence of the infraction.

Example

You could create an infraction called "Cheating" and link the actions "Demerits Given: 1" (DEM1) to the first occurrence, "Demerits Given: 2" (DEM2) to the second occurrence, and "Demerits Given: 3" (DEM3) to the third occurrence.

Note: If you know the code for the action you want use, you can type it in the Code column.

If you don’t want to assign an action for the first infraction, leave the first action code blank.

6. Click Accept [F10] to save your settings.

Step 4: Create Served Codes.

For each demerit action code, create a served code to subtract from a student's outstanding demerit totals when entered in a discipline report.

1. In the same dialog box, click the Served list tab.
2. Click Add [F2] to move to the first unused record in the list.
3. In Code, type an abbreviated code for the served code.

Important: Codes can be alphanumeric, but must start with a letter and be no longer than four characters.

4. See the figure and table below for descriptions of the remaining options.
   

Step 5: Create Location Codes.

Optionally, you can create location codes to describe where or when an infraction occurs. (See Add Location Codes to the Location List.)