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Out of School & Off Track:Out of School and Off TrackPolicy to Address Disparate Impact and Racial BiasThe Overuse of SuspensionsininDisciplineAmerican Middle and High SchoolsBy Daniel J. Losen The Center for Civil Rights Remedies atThe Civil Rights Project at UCLA
Out-of-school Suspension Impact Loss of instructionLower achievementLower graduation ratesHeightened risk for gang involvmentIncreased risk of involvement in the juvenilejustice system Higher crime rate in the community Long-term economic costs for individual and thecommunity
National Data (2009-10) Show Suspension Rates at theSecondary Level are Typically 4 to 10 Times HigherThan Elementary Level3024.325All19.320Amer. IndianAsianAfrican 1.20ElementarySecondaryLatinoWhiteElsWith Disabilitiy
Secondary Suspension Rates: Then and Now302524.320BlackWhite15Latino11.812Asian American108.47.15American Ind.66.15.62.42.301972-732009-10
Educational Justification? How about when students are a danger tothemselves or others, or exhibit otherextreme misbehaviors? But unsupervised? Are these justifications for the frequent use ofout of school suspension for less serious nonviolent conduct? Suspension for truancy and tardiness? Dresscode violations?
Three Prominent Justifications To get parents attention To deter future misbehavior peers and student To ensure a safe, orderly and effectiveeducational environment, “So the good kids canlearn.” What does the research say? Research suggests that suspensions reinforcemisbehavior, especially among disengaged youth.
Alternatives Work Better School codes can change Classroom management can improve Interventions with more adults working withyouth and the community Positive is more powerful than negative Additional resources are needed, but there aremany things schools can do with the resourcesthey have . Many schools districts are successful
10 Districts with the Largest Number of LowerSuspending Secondary Schools(Under 10% of Every Group)Los Angeles Unified, CA (81)San Diego Unified, CA (39)Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools, NC (36)Philadelphia City School Districts, PA (35)Montgomery County Public Schools, MD (33)Fairfax County Public Schools, VA (31)District of Columbia Public Schools, DC (26)East Baton Rouge Parish School Board, LA (26)Detroit City School District, MI (26)Clark County School District, NV (26)
More on What Works Cleveland: Study of Cleveland Ohio: Social emotional learning strategies,and revised code of conduct were much more effective for safety thanmore police and metal detectors. (Osher) Virginia: Statewide study on the Virginia Threat Protocol: reducedsuspensions for all. (Cornell) Chicago: Strong relationships between teachers and students and teachersand parents adds the most to sense of safety; schools serving childrenfrom the highest crime neighborhoods had produce environments that feltas safe as those serving youth from the wealthiest low-crimeneighborhoods. (Steinberg) Denver: Restorative justice reduced both suspension rates and racialdisparities. Randomized Control: Teacher training focused on teacher-studentengagement.
Policymakers and Economics The economic argument is likely the mostpowerful: Suspensions have tremendoushidden costs! Texas, Council of State Governments Study Principal, High School in East San Josedescribes cost savings .
Intentional Bias? What would it look like? Not what we are focused on . What other kind of bias is there?
Racial Disparities In Use of Suspension for FirstTime Offenders By Type of Offense
Frequent and Disparate Use of Out-of-School Suspension for Minor Offenses Under WillfulDefiance Compared with Serious Violations by RaceNumber of out-of-school suspensions per 100students14White: Out-of-School Suspensions per 100 Students12Black: Out-of-School Suspensions per 100 ions21.6 suspensions2.4suspensions0Offenses involving weapons, drugs, andviolence with injuryWillful defiance
Frequent and Disparate Use of Out-of-School Suspension for Minor Offenses Under WillfulDefiance Compared with Serious Violations by Race and Disability StatusNumber of out-of-school suspensions per 100students161415.0suspensionsWhite Students with Disabilities: Out-of-School Suspensionsper 100 ensions2.9 suspensions0Serious offenses involving weapons, drugs, andviolence with injuryWillful defiance
The School-to-Prison Pipeline hasMany Interacting Contributors ThatPolicy Can InfluenceAccountabilityStructuresResourceInequity andRacial BiasUnsound disciplinarypractice
Potential for Change Changes to policy: -Data use -End counter-productive discipline policy (i.e. truancy,graduated offenses for minor offenses) -Accountability that includes discipline review andother outcomes like graduation rates. -Support for alternatives -Investment choices: more cops or more counselors? - Training that works
Bias can alter our senses . Bias can alter what we experience, what wepay attention to and what we ignore. Biased expectations can affect our evaluationof what we hear and see Therefore, bias can affect our responseswithout our knowledge that it has this impact.
The MIT Beer Experiment Predictably Irrational: Economist, Dan Ariely In a blind-fold test, tasters overwhelmingly preferredvinegar laced MIT micro-brewed beer over acommercial brand of lite beer. When the taste test was repeated without being blind,and participants were told that the MIT beer had atrace of vinegar added, tasters crinkled their noseswhen they sipped the MIT beer and overwhelminglychose the commercial lite beer. The knowledge of the vinegar changed the theperception of the beer from favorable to unfavorable.
Gender Bias? Think about gender bias. Do we still accept deteriorating performanceby girls in math?
Unconscious or implicit bias May influence: what data we discuss and use which students gain access to the highestquality resources teacher training Relationships with students and parents
Policy Change Possibilities Actively and regularly use the race and disabilitydata. (Guilford Cty NC) Restrict out-of-school suspensions to avoid highlysubjective minor offenses only permitted as ameasure of last resort for the most seriousviolations. LAUSD, State of CT, State Board ofEducation in MD. Implement restorative practices (Denver) SEL (Cleveland) Provide opportunities for teacher trainingfocused on student engagement.
Policy Recommendations Data: Require annual discipline data collectionand public reporting that isdisaggregated internally use data quarterly Accountability: Make school discipline a corecomponent of school and district evaluation andaccountability Support: Provide funds and incentives for trainingin classroom management and alternativesincluding restorative justice and tieredintervention systems of support
The EndDaniel J. LosenIndependent Consultant andDirector, Center for Civil Rights Remedies ofthe Civil Rights Project at UCLANew ndan@gmail.com781-861-122223
Predictably Irrational: Economist, Dan Ariely In a blind-fold test, tasters overwhelmingly preferred vinegar laced MIT micro-brewed beer over a commercial brand of lite beer. When the taste test was repeated without being blind, and participants were told that the MIT beer had a trace of vinegar added, tasters crinkled their noses
