Ethnic/Racial disparities in Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placements for Texas Grade 6, 7 and 8 boys: A statewide, multiyear analysis

Abstract

In this investigation, the extent to which Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placement assignments differed as a function of ethnicity/race (i.e., Black, Hispanic, White, Asian) for Grade 6, 7, and 8 boys was determined. Archival data were obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System on all middle school students for the school years. Inferential statistical procedures yielded statistically significant differences for all four school years with below small effect sizes. For each year, in each grade level, a stair-step effect was present. Grade 6 through Grade 8 Black boys received a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placement statistically significantly more often than their peers at all three grade levels. Similarly, Grade 6 through Grade 8 Hispanic boys received statistically significantly more instances of a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placement than did White and Asian boys. Recommendations for research and implications are discussed along with suggestions for policy and practice.Citation: Lopez EL and Slate JR. Ethnic/Racial disparities in Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placements for Texas Grade 6, 7 and 8 boys: A statewide, multiyear analysis. Adv Educ Res Eval, 2020, 1(1): 33-42.

Differences in Exclusionary Discipline Consequence Assignment by the Economic Status of Black Students Determined to Be at-Risk: A Texas, Statewide Analysis

“…Hilberth and Slate (2012) analyzed disciplinary consequences assigned to Black and White students in Grades 6, 7, and 8 and concluded that Black students received more in-school suspensions, out-of-school suspensions, and assignments to a Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placement statistically significantly more than White students. Similarly, Lopez and Slate (2020) investigated the relationship between ethnicity/race and Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placement assignments in Grades 6, 7, and 8 for boys in four school years. At all grade levels for each year, Black boys were assigned to Disciplinary Alternative Education Program placements at statistically significant higher rates than their peers.…”