Race-Based Disproportionality of Discipline Referrals and the Relationships With Gender and GPA

Abstract

This quantitative research study took place in a school district in the Midwest.The data included students enrolled in Grades 6-12 during the 2019-2020 school year.The first purpose of this study was to determine the extent the number of suspensionoccurrences and the number of days spent outside of the classroom due to exclusionarydiscipline is disproportionate among African-American, White, Hispanic, Multiracial,and Other race students in Grades 6-12 during the 2019-2020 school year. An additionalpurpose of this study was to determine the extent the disproportionality in the number ofoccurrences and the number of days spent outside of the classroom due to exclusionarydiscipline among African-American, White, Hispanic, Multiracial, and Other racestudents in Grades 6-12 during the 2019-2020 school year was related to the student’sgender and academic status. The results of this study revealed disproportionality in thenumber of days spent outside the classroom and the number of suspension occurrencesfor African-American, Hispanic, Multiracial, Other race, and White students. AfricanAmerican, Hispanic, and Multiracial students were overrepresented in the number of daysspent outside of the classroom and the number of suspension occurrences. Other racestudents were underrepresented in the number of days spent outside of the classroom butwere overrepresented in the number of suspension occurrences. White students wereunderrepresented in both the number of days spent outside of the classroom and thenumber of suspension occurrences. Secondly, the findings revealed disproportionality inthe number of days spent outside the classroom and the number of suspensionoccurrences for African-American, Hispanic, and Multiracial female and male studentsand Other race female students. Other race male students and White female and male students were underrepresented in the number of days spent outside the classroom andthe number of suspension occurrences. Finally, the findings indicated that grade pointaverage (GPA) was not related to the disproportionality in the number of days spentoutside the classroom due to exclusionary discipline but was related to the number ofsuspension occurrences. There was evidence that African-American and Multi-racialstudents were overrepresented in all three GPA categories. Hispanic students wereoverrepresented in two out of the three categories. These findings could aidpolicymakers and school district leaders in making changes in the educational system andplanning professional development to increase learning for all students. Future researchstudies could include all students in Grades K-12 and expand the study to surroundingschool districts and a statewide study. Finally, future research should examineexclusionary consequences for specific discipline referrals.