NCJ Number
247093
Date Published
May 2014
Length
46 pages
Annotation
This study examined the patterns for suspension and expulsion in six Oregon school districts
Abstract
Highlights of the findings from this study on suspension and expulsion patterns in six Oregon school districts include the following: during the 2011/2012 school year, approximately 6.4 percent of students were suspended or expelled from school, most commonly for physical and verbal aggression and insubordination/disruption.; nearly 40 percent of students who were suspended received more than one suspension; and the average number of school days suspended among students receiving at least one suspension was 3.3 days. This study was conducted from concerns raised about the loss of classroom instruction resulting from school disciplinary actions. The goal of the study was to identify how frequently students in six specific school districts receive exclusionary discipline during the 2011/2012 school year, the most common reasons for the discipline, the percentage of students receiving multiple suspensions, and how many school days students lost to suspensions. The information was collected and analyzed according to grade level, student gender, student race/ethnicity, and student special education status. The findings from this study indicate that exclusionary discipline is applied differently depending on the student's gender, race/ethnicity, and special education status. These findings suggest the need for school officials to examine their policies and procedures to improve the perceptions and responses of staff to student behavior and misbehavior. Study limitations are discussed. Tables, figures, appendixes, and references