Historically, the chosen method of discipline in United States schools has gone from corporal punishment to an emphasis on suspension. Recently, as principals have become less certain about the extent of their authority to suspend students, many inschool programs have been developed as alternatives to suspension. Among the advantages of such programs are its provisions for encouraging students to complete regular classroom assignments and for preventing students from roaming around the community. Successful inschool alternative-to-suspension programs share many of the same objectives, including identifying and remedying root problems and helping students develop self-discipline. Other shared characteristics include strict disciplinary rules in inschool suspension rooms, professional or paraprofessional supervision, and low student-teacher ratios. The three basic types of alternative-to-suspension programs focus on availability of counseling and guidance, timeout (or cooling-off) rooms, and inschool suspension centers. Other innovative alternatives include after school counseling clinics, hall monitors, work-study programs, and alternative schools. Although alternative programs thus far have had little impact on improving academic achievement, the fact that they are meeting many needs of disenchanted students suggests further experimentation should continue. (JBM)