Predicting Exclusionary School Discipline: A Multilevel Examination of School Suspensions in New York City

• In Event: The School-to-Prison Pipeline

Abstract

Exclusionary school discipline is associated with a multitude of adverse outcomes in school (e.g. failing a class, longer time to graduation, and dropping out) and adulthood (e.g. criminal activity and incarceration). While existing research has shown that individual- and school-level characteristics have been shown to play a role in the likelihood of being suspended, the role of school neighborhood-level factors in predicting odds of suspension has been largely unexplored. This study will use New York City Department of Education data and American Community Survey data to estimate how individual-, school-, and neighborhood-level characteristics are associated with middle school students’ odds of receiving exclusionary discipline in school. Results will provide a better understanding of school suspensions in New York City, and suggestions for future research and policy implications will be discussed.

Authors

• Celina Cuevas, John Jay College of Criminal Justice

• Kevin T. Wolff, John Jay College of Criminal Justice