Safe & Restorative Schools

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Passing legislation is only the beginning. Transformative Changes conn with school divisions, community organizations, and public agencies to help translate policy into sustainable practice. 

Transformative Changes partners with youth, families, educators, practitioners, behavioral health professionals, community organizations, and public leaders to advance safe and restorative schools across Virginia. Through healing-centered engagement, restorative justice, policy advocacy, leadership development, and cross-sector collaboration, we are helping transform how schools respond to conflict, build relationships, and support student well-being.

The passage of Virginia House Bill 298 (2026) marked a historic milestone for restorative justice in the Commonwealth. As Virginia prepares for statewide implementation beginning July 1, 2027, our work has evolved from advocating for policy change to supporting the relationships, infrastructure, and partnerships necessary for successful implementation.

We believe lasting change happens when policy, practice, and community leadership move together.

We convene the HB298 Statewide Restorative Justice Implementation Collaborative, an informal statewide network of educators, students, families, school leaders, restorative justice practitioners, researchers, behavioral health professionals, advocates, community organizations, and public partners working together to support equitable implementation of House Bill 298.

As the Collaborative's backbone organization, Transformative Changes provides administrative coordination, facilitation, communications, project management, scheduling, and logistical support while ensuring the work remains member-driven and collectively shaped by participating stakeholders across Virginia.

Together, we are:

• Building statewide readiness
• Strengthening cross-sector partnerships
• Sharing promising practices
• Identifying implementation challenges
• Supporting school division readiness
• Elevating youth and family leadership
• Coordinating technical assistance
• Advancing equitable implementation across the Commonwealth

Implementation Support

Passing legislation is only the beginning. Transformative Changes is actively collaborating with school divisions, community organizations, and public agencies to help translate policy into sustainable practice. 

Our implementation support includes:

• Restorative justice implementation planning
• Healing-centered engagement
• Professional learning and facilitation
• Strategic planning
• Community engagement
• Family partnership development
• Youth leadership development
• Cross-sector convening
• Technical assistance
• Policy implementation support
• Coalition building

Youth & Family Leadership

Young people and families are essential partners of school transformation. We aim to create opportunities for youth and caregivers to shape policies, inform implementation, strengthen school-community relationships, and co-design solutions that reflect the lived experiences of those most impacted by exclusionary discipline.

Integrated Community Partnerships

We work alongside behavioral health providers, restorative justice practitioners, community-based organizations, cultural workers, researchers, advocates, and public institutions to strengthen the ecosystem of care surrounding young people.

By connecting schools with community resources, we help create coordinated systems that promote healing, accountability, and long-term student success.

From Advocacy to Implementation

Our Safe & Restorative Schools work has grown through years of organizing, coalition building, and community engagement.

Transformative Changes and partners mobilized statewide advocacy supporting restorative justice legislation.

We expanded statewide partnerships through community engagement, policy advocacy, educator collaboration, and the Safe & Restorative Schools Learning Tour, creating opportunities for students, educators, families, legislators, and practitioners to learn together and envision new possibilities for school culture.

Virginia passed House Bill 298, requiring school divisions to consider evidence-based restorative practices before certain exclusions from school and directing the Virginia Department of Education to develop implementation guidance and professional learning.

Transformative Changes launched the HB298 Statewide Restorative Justice Implementation Collaborative to help prepare the field for successful statewide implementation.

As implementation begins across Virginia, we continue supporting school divisions, community partners, and statewide stakeholders through collaboration, technical assistance, leadership development, and systems change.

The Safe & Restorative Schools Learning Tour brought together youth, educators, practitioners, legislators, families, and community leaders in restorative dialogue across Virginia.

These gatherings strengthened relationships, elevated community wisdom, and helped lay the foundation for statewide implementation.

Today, youth continue to inform our implementation work by ensuring community voice remains central to policy, practice, and systems change.

Why Restorative Schools Matter

Research consistently demonstrates that restorative approaches can:

• Strengthen school connectedness and belonging
• Improve relationships between students and adults
• Reduce exclusionary discipline
• Increase student engagement
• Improve school climate
• Support accountability while addressing harm
• Promote safer learning environments

When implemented with fidelity, restorative practices create healthier school communities where students, families, and educators can thrive together.