Achievement and Enrollment Status of Suspended Students

Abstract

There have been outcries in both the academic sector and in the popular press about the high and increasingly rising use of suspensions as a discipline measure. Among the negative consequences noted has been a detrimental impact on the academic achievement of suspended students. This article presents the results of longitudinal retrospective analyses on suspensions, achievement, and long-term enrollment status of students in a large, urban school district. The pre-and postsuspension reading achievements of suspended students were compared to those of a comparison group matched on grade, gender, race, participation in the free/reduced lunch program, and limited English proficiency. Findings indicated that suspended students had substantially lower presuspension achievement than did students in the comparison group, gained considerably less academically throughout 3 years with suspensions, and had high drop-out rates. All patterns were considerably more marked with increases in suspensions and with decreases in achievement.Suspensions and expulsions are used widely and at increasing rates despite the fact that the practice has been denounced as ineffective and counterproductive. One of the negative consequences of these discipline measures is an adverse impact on suspended students' achievement. However, to date, there has been minimal empirical evidence of the extent of academic delay associated with suspensions. This study examined the issue by analyzing the achievement status of suspended students throughout 3 years in comparison to a matched group of students without suspensions and by perusing the 3-year enrollment status of students who were suspended in ninth grade. Data were from a large, urban school district in the Southeast. 359

School Resource Officers and Exclusionary Discipline in U.S. High Schools: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis

“…The findings from studies using a pre-post design indicate that schools with SROs suspend and expel adolescents at higher rates, with the presence of SROs associated with roughly one additional disciplinary incident per week in a school of 1500 students. Although it is unclear whether SROs are the mechanism driving these higher rates of discipline, the findings of this study indicate that researchers should continue to examine this relationship, particularly given the fact that receiving exclusionary discipline is associated with poorer developmental outcomes for adolescents, including lower academic achievement, dropout, and increased behavioral problems both in and out of school (Arcia 2006;Balfanz et al 2015;Christle et al 2005Christle et al , 2007Fabelo et al 2011;Raffaele Mendez 2003;Suh and Suh 2007). This study highlights the importance of critically examining the roles of SROs in schools, and finding ways to align their responsibilities with strategies for fostering positive adolescent development.…”

“…In the 2009-2010 school year, 83 % of U.S. public high schools either expelled or suspended a student for at least 5 days with a total of over 400,000 of such punishments administered to students (Robers et al 2013). Students who receive such discipline miss instructional time, leading them to fall further behind in classes and score lower on standardized tests (Arcia 2006;Kupchik 2010;Raffaele Mendez 2003;Suh and Suh 2007). Furthermore, exclusionary discipline has not been shown to act as an effective deterrent of future misbehavior.…”

Drivers of human development: How relationships and context shape learning and development1

“…Exclusionary discipline can negatively affect the learning, engagement, and sense of safety of students who are not suspended (e.g., Perry & Morris, 2014). Even one suspension increases the risk of repeating grades, school dropout, and incarceration and reduces the likelihood of postsecondary success (Arcia, 2006).…”

Should Students Be Allowed to Miss?

“…At a student level truancy may have to do with boredom, lack of interest, cultural factors, lack of supervision, among other things (e.g., Roderick, 1997;DeKalb, 1999;Epstein & Sheldon, 2002;Roby, 2004;Kube & Ratigan, 1992;Steward, 2002;McCarthy, 2002;Gump, 2006;and Roby, 2004). School level factors include suspension, school infrastructure and the school climate and environment (e.g., Arcia, 2006;Branham, 2004;Finn & Voelkl, 1993;Crone et al, 1993). Epstein and Sheldon (2002) study the relationship, at a school level, between attendance and a series of variables previously identified in the literature in 12 primary schools in the USA.…”