Return to Zero Tolerance? Examining State School Discipline Policy in the Post–COVID-19 Era

• In Event: Toward Racial Justice in Education Policy: From Interrogating Thoughts and Actions to Organizing and Allyship

Abstract

Reducing racial inequality in exclusionary discipline is a pivotal plank of improving K-12 education systems. This mixed methods study examines state school discipline policy since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. Preliminary findings indicate that the state school discipline policy landscape is active with multiple bills across numerous states (37 states enacted 163 legislative changes). 8 states – Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Louisiana, Utah, Virginia, and West Virginia – had school discipline policy activity in three of the four years included in this study (2020-2023). Only Tennessee experienced policy change across all four years. The bulk of these policy changes modify the guidelines for administering punitive discipline. Over half of the punitive discipline guidelines in each year narrowed the use of exclusionary punishment.

Authors

• Kathryn James McGraw, Vanderbilt University

• De'Ja Wood, Vanderbilt University

• Richard O. Welsh, Vanderbilt University