Second Chance
A SUPPORTIVE ALTERNATIVE TO SUSPENSION
Second Chance is an evidence-informed, non-punitive program that helps middle and high school students reflect, learn, and build healthy coping skills after a tobacco or nicotine infraction. The program may also be helpful for youth who may be curious about tobacco or other nicotine products and would benefit from education.
Outcomes for Youth
- Builds understanding of how tobacco and nicotine affect the brain, body, and mental health.
- Increases awareness of how marketing, media, and social influences shape tobacco and nicotine use.
- Strengthens skills to manage stress, make healthy choices, and resist peer pressure.
- Promotes understanding of tobacco-free school policies and state and federal laws.
- Encourages reflection, goal-setting, and connection to resources for quitting or reducing tobacco and nicotine use.
Outcomes for Administrators
- Provides an educational alternative to suspension that holds students accountable while supporting their growth.
- Delivers health education aligned with Colorado Health Education Standards.
- Supports behavior change by addressing root causes and connecting students to resources.
- Creates opportunities to strengthen relationships with students.
- Simple enrollment, real-time tracking, and student self-paced learning reduce staff workload and save time.
Why an Alternative-to-Suspension?
Many schools and districts across the United States have used punitive disciplinary policies, such as suspensions and expulsions, to discourage student misconduct. However, research has shown that traditional, exclusionary discipline leads to:
- Increased student misconduct
- Negative school climate
- Decreased student academic achievement
- Increased dropout rates
- Increased juvenile incarceration rates
Additionally, data indicates that punitive discipline practices are disproportionately used against marginalized student populations like students of color and students with disabilities. The alternative? Implementing restorative practices, such as educational alternative-to-suspension programs like Second Chance.
New research is beginning to demonstrate that well-implemented use of restorative practices leads to:
- Improved student academic achievement
- Improved student mental health
- Decreased student misconduct
- Reductions in office referrals and classroom removals
- Reduced suspension and expulsion rates
- Decreased disciplinary disparities
- Improved school and classroom climates, including relationships between students and teachers and student feelings of connectedness to school.
Second Chance Content
Program content was recently updated to specifically address vaping, e-cigarettes, and marijuana. Information in the program is presented in three major sections: Community, School, and Home. The following information is included in each section:
- Community: tobacco and other nicotine products; myths & facts; big tobacco tactics; tobacco laws and policies
- School: laws & schools; teen opinions & norms; hooked on nicotine; influences
- Home: costs of smoking, vaping, and chewing; communication and refusal skills; prevention and cessation strategies
Students must complete a pre- and post-survey, as well as a brief quiz after each of the three sections in order to complete the program. The length of time needed to complete the program will vary with each student and may range from 2 to 2.5 hours. Students may complete the program over multiple visits and do not have to complete the program in one sitting.
Second Chance was developed with funding from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment’s State Tobacco Education and Prevention Partnership (STEPP). Amendment 35 voter-approved tobacco tax funds were used to finance program development. Collaborators and funders are noted on the individual web pages and/or documents. We welcome requests for accommodations related to the Second Chance site. Visit https://cdphe.colorado.gov/accessibility for a full statement and to learn more.
