Patterns and Policies of Discipline in Charter Schools

• In Event: Roundtable: Schools & Punishment

Abstract

Exclusionary discipline in U.S. schools has long been identified as a problem with both short- and long-term consequences including racially disparate impact and increased odds of future criminal justice involvement. While a relatively comprehensive picture of discipline in public schools has been developed, far less is known about the charter school context. This presentation, drawn from dissertation research, seeks to expand upon the existing limited knowledge through a mixed-methods study of discipline in Philadelphia charter schools. Data sources include teacher interviews, charter school handbooks, and an original dataset compiled from public reports. This presentation includes preliminary findings on patterns and policies of charter school discipline, including discipline rates over time. These preliminary results are analyzed within the historical context of the Philadelphia school system.

Author

• Jillian Alexandria Jackson Reeves, Northeastern University