Patrolling Public Schools: The Impact of Police Funding on Student Discipline and Long-term Education Outcomes

• In Event: 54.018 - Promising Scholarship in Education: Dissertation Fellows and Their Research

Abstract

Police are an active presence in U.S. public schools. In 2014, 43% of public schools had security staff at school at least once a week, affecting over 70% of students across the country (Zhang et al., 2016). While estimates vary, government surveys suggest that there are approximately 20,000 police officers working in schools (James and McCallion, 2013). These School Resource Officers (SROs) serve a number of roles, including protecting cam- puses from outside threats and educating students about safety and the law. However, SROs also fill another critical role: they are engaged in daily school discipline issues and adminis- ter punishments for student behavior. Despite the fact that victimizations of students have decreased in recent decades, serious school disciplinary actions have become more common- place, increasing by nearly 200% between 2000 and 2014, and affecting Hispanic and Black students at 1.5 to 2.5 times the rate or White students (DeVoe et al., 2003; Zhang et al.,2016).

Author

• Emily Weisburst, The University of Texas - Austin