A restorative approach to student discipline shows promise in reducing suspensions and arrests
Suspensions are a common form of official discipline implemented in American schools, but can alternative approaches prove effective in reducing harmful student behavior?
Beginning in the 1970s, schools increasingly turned to exclusionary discipline practices in hopes of curbing disruptions and creating a safe learning environment.
By the 2011-2012 school year, nearly 3.5 million students (roughly 7% of all public school students nationwide) were suspended annually, resulting in a staggering loss of 18 million days of instruction.
The idea behind exclusionary discipline is simple: Remove disruptive students to preserve order. But the long-term consequences tell a different story.
Research shows that suspensions can lead to lower educational attainment and increase the likelihood of incarceration—what some call the “school-to-prison pipeline.”
Even more troubling, exclusionary discipline hasn’t affected all students equally. Since 1974, suspension rates for Black and Hispanic students have more than doubled.
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