Examining School Discipline by Various Classroom Instruction Modes in Different Locales

• In Event: New Perspectives on School Punishment and Security

Abstract

School exclusionary punishments (i.e., suspension, expulsion) are associated with negative academic and behavioral outcomes, including a greater risk of school failure, dropping out, and future contact with the criminal justice system, particularly among racial and ethnic minority students. While these patterns were previously observed in traditional in-person learning environments, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated a shift to learning models that varied across locale – urban, suburban, rural – as different locations handled the pandemic based on resources available. This study explores how different learning modalities during SY 2020 – 2021 impacted school discipline with a particular focus on racial disparities across urban, suburban, and rural schools. Preliminary results show that regardless of locale, most schools opted for a hybrid approach to learning while suburban schools were more likely to be virtual only and rural schools were more likely to be in-person following safety measures. Additionally, indicate that across all locales expulsion rates increased while suspension rates decreased and were higher for black students than for white students.

Author

• Tacey Shurtliff, University of Oklahoma