At Forman, we believe student accountability exists to help young people become thoughtful, confident, and independent adults.
Our goal isn’t simply to respond when students make mistakes. Our goal is to teach students how to make better decisions the next time.
Why This Matters
Students arrive at Forman with extraordinary strengths.
Many are creative thinkers. Natural problem solvers. Talented athletes. Gifted artists.
Many also arrive having spent years navigating the challenges that can accompany ADHD, dyslexia, executive function differences, or other learning profiles. Those experiences often shape not only how students learn, but also how they see themselves.
That’s why student development at Forman extends well beyond academics.
For students who learn differently, accountability is most effective when it becomes part of the learning process—not simply the consequence.
Just as we explicitly teach executive function, metacognition, and self-advocacy, we intentionally teach and practice responsibility, reflection, and decision-making.
Research Supports a Different Approach
The CDC recommends evidence-informed approaches to student accountability that balance high accountability with high support. According to the CDC, these practices strengthen relationships, improve school climate, increase students’ problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills, and reduce discipline referrals and suspensions.¹ Schools using these approaches have been shown to:
Strengthen relationships between students and adults
Improve school climate
Increase students’ problem-solving and conflict-resolution skills
Reduce disruptive behaviors, discipline referrals, absenteeism, and out-of-school suspensions
At Forman, we believe accountability should do more than address behavior.
It should build the skills students need to navigate life.
Students Participate in the Process
One of the defining characteristics of Forman’s approach is that students are active participants.
Students are encouraged to:
Reflect honestly on their decisions.
Understand how their actions affected others.
Participate in repairing trust and relationships when appropriate.
Identify strategies for making better choices.
Advocate for the support they need to be successful.
Over time, these conversations become opportunities to strengthen confidence rather than moments students simply try to avoid.
Consequences still matter, expectations remain high, and accountability becomes an opportunity for growth rather than simply the end of a disciplinary process.
Accountability Is Executive Function in Action
Executive function is often associated with organization, planning, and time management, and it also includes skills such as:
Self-regulation
Emotional control
Cognitive flexibility
Reflection
Decision-making
Self-monitoring
Every accountability conversation at Forman becomes an opportunity to practice these skills.
When students pause, reflect, repair, and move forward, they are strengthening executive function in authentic, meaningful ways.
Every Adult Is a Teacher
Purposeful accountability doesn’t belong to one office.
At Forman, it is shared by teachers, advisors, coaches, residence hall staff, counselors, and student life professionals.
We work collaboratively with faculty, families, and students to create a consistent experience rooted in respect, responsibility, and growth.
Whether a conversation happens in a classroom, on an athletic field, in a dorm, or during a Community Block, students receive the same message:
We believe in you.
We expect great things from you.
We’ll help you get there.
The Evidence Is Encouraging
A six-year study of 485 middle schools² found that schools implementing relationship-centered accountability practices experienced:
These findings reinforce what we see every day at Forman.
When students are held accountable in ways that preserve dignity, encourage reflection, and promote responsibility, they grow, not just as learners, but as people.
Preparing Students for Life
The lessons students learn through accountability extend far beyond high school.
Owning a mistake. Repairing a relationship. Accepting feedback. Managing emotions. Making thoughtful decisions.
These are life skills.
Every day at Forman, students practice how to respond when they make mistakes.
Because success is built on reflection, responsibility, and the confidence to grow.
Sources:
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2025, January 2). Promoting school connectedness through restorative practices. https://www.cdc.gov/youth-behavior/school-connectedness/restorative-practices.html
Darling-Hammond, S. (2023). Fostering belonging, transforming schools: The impact of restorative practices. Learning Policy Institute. https://learningpolicyinstitute.org/product/impact-restorative-practices-report
This blog post was submitted by Director of Student Responsibility Jennifer Miles and Director of Student Respect Laura Renard.
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