The Big Picture

This chapter examines racial disparities in school disciplinary actions across 19 independent school districts in Harris County, Texas, during the 2016-2017 academic year. It highlights how such disparities contribute to the school-to-prison pipeline, with African American students being disproportionately affected by suspensions and expulsions, often as a result of zero-tolerance policies.
What We Did

Researchers analyzed disciplinary records from 19 school districts, focusing on in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEPs), Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Programs (JJAEPs), and expulsions. Disparity ratios were calculated to compare the rates of disciplinary actions among Black, Hispanic, and White students.

The findings reveal that Black students in Harris County were disproportionately more likely to be removed from the classroom compared to their White peers, with some districts showing disparity ratios as high as 5.56. Out-of-school suspensions, alternative education placements, and expulsions were particularly prevalent among Black students, highlighting significant racial inequities in school discipline practices.

These disparities suggest systemic biases in school disciplinary practices that violate the principles of the 1954 Brown vs. Board of Education decision. The disproportionate removal of Black students from educational environments contributes to their increased risk of academic failure, dropout, and eventual involvement in the juvenile justice system, perpetuating the school-to-prison pipeline.

The chapter recommends disaggregated data analysis to better understand the factors contributing to these disparities. It also advocates for evidence-based interventions, cultural awareness training for educators, the implementation of Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), professional development for teachers, community-school partnerships, and restorative justice practices as alternatives to exclusionary discipline.

About the Study

This study utilized data from the Texas Education Agency (TEA) and individual school districts within Harris County for the 2016-2017 academic year. Disciplinary actions were analyzed by race and ethnicity, focusing on students from Kindergarten through 12th grade. The study emphasizes the need for localized education reform to address the inequities in school discipline that affect minority students. The full APA citation is: Bourgeois, J. W., Kwende, M., & Henderson, H. (2022). Relative rate index, racial disparity, and school suspensions.Journal of School Psychology, 35(4), 123-145. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jsp.2022.04.005