The Relationship Between School Disciplinary Resolutions With School Climate and Attitudes Toward School

• In Event: 34.087 - Evidence for Practices to Improve School Climate and Safety

Abstract

Studies suggest that receipt of out-of-school suspensions (OSS) are negatively associated with student perceptions of school climate. However, this association has not been considered in the case of alternative disciplinary approaches such as restorative practices (RP) and in-school suspension (ISS). Using a sample of over 30,000 secondary school students, student-level school climate survey data were matched with student disciplinary records. Student perceptions of school climate related to disciplinary structure, supportive relationships, school bonding, disengagement, and safety were compared by the type of disciplinary resolution (i.e., OSS, ISS, RP vs. none) received by the student. Compared to students who had not been disciplined, students with an ISS or OSS had generally more negative perceptions of school climate.

Authors

• Francis Howard Lim Huang, University of Missouri

• Yolanda Anyon, University of Denver