A high-level Department of Education report on student discipline will stop short of proposing radical legal changes or the introduction of so-called "sin bins" in schools for the most disruptive pupils.
It will, however, back a raft of new measures to tackle the growing crisis in classrooms.
The report, to be launched by Minister for Education Mary Hanafin this morning, may disappoint some in the teacher unions who want a package of tough legal changes to address what they see as a growing crisis in Irish schools.
A TUI survey has shown high levels of indiscipline and bullying.
Surprisingly, the report will not propose any changes in the controversial section 29 of the Education Act, which has allowed disruptive pupils to successfully appeal against their expulsion from schools.
Instead, the taskforce report will recommend that the issue should be addressed by a separate Department of Education review into the operation of section 29.
The taskforce, chaired by Dr Maeve Martin of NUI Maynooth, also opposes long-term "sin-bins" or referral units, which are favoured by some in the teaching unions.
The report will propose specific strategies for dealing with the most difficult pupils, including the use of "break-out" centres, which will allow for a short-term cooling-off period.
The report opposes what one source called any move towards the creation of a "dumping ground" in schools for troublesome pupils. "Our aim should be to reintegrate the pupil as quickly as possible back into the mainstream of the school," the source said.
It is understood the taskforce team was impressed by a submission from the school attendance body - the National Education Welfare Board - which made a strong case against "sin-bins".
Sources say the report will stress what one called "an all-encompassing approach" to the problem involving teachers, parents and pupils. The report will stress the need for a range of new initiatives including:
A multi-agency "holistic" approach involving the Departments of Education, Justice, Health and Social and Family Affairs; more in-service training for teachers on student behaviour; new agreed procedures for dealing with disruption in schools, and updated Department of Education guidelines on addressing the problem.
In recent years, schools have found it difficult to expel unruly pupils. Four years ago, 79 per cent of pupils successfully appealed against their expulsion under section 29. However the situation has changed dramatically in the past year as school managements tightened their legal procedures. This year, the number of successful appeals has fallen to 25 per cent.
Publication of the report will be accompanied by a strategy for implementation and a promise of back-up funding from Ms Hanafin. She has already allocated €2 million as "seed funding" for a range of new initiatives on discipline.
