Examining the Intersection of Race/Ethnicity and Socioeconomic Status in In-School Suspension: A Nationally Representative Study

• In Event: 54.080 - Roundtable Session 22
  In Roundtable Session: 54.080-12 - Critical Examinations of Socioeconomic Status and Social Class in Education

Abstract

The examination of how race and socioeconomic status (SES) interact in relation to discipline disproportionality has been limited to use of free/reduced price meals as a proxy for SES. This study, however, used the High School Longitudinal Study to examine the interaction of race and SES in predicting in-school suspension using a continuous SES variable divided into quintiles. Students of all races in the bottom two SES quintiles were more likely to receive ISS, but the odds of students of color receiving ISS were higher than White students suggesting race’s salience. Upon controlling for school variables, Black and White students in the first quintile were more likely to receive ISS, with Black students having higher odds than White students.

Authors

• Blaire Cholewa, University of Virginia

• Michael Fox Hull, University of Virginia

• Alexandre Smith, University of Virginia

• Erin McGivern, University of Virginia