Organizing Authority and Discipline in Philadelphia High Schools (Poster 46)

• In Event: AERA Poster Session Wednesday 4:20 p.m.
  In Poster Session: Social Context and Education Policy

Abstract

This study examines how the School District of Philadelphia organizes authority and discipline. We draw on theories of authority and use a relations-focused organizational conceptual model to identify key organizational features and relational dimensions (vertical/authority and horizontal/peer) that capture how authority and discipline are organized in schools. Using measures derived from student and teacher climate survey data and administrative data, we conduct descriptive, correlational, and Latent Profile Analysis to characterize patterns of discipline and authority climates and their association with student racial composition of schools. We find not only wide variation in how schools organize authority and discipline, but distinct approaches that align to different disciplinary logics (reliance on punishment-oriented practices versus positive relations and/or non-punishment-oriented practices).

Authors

• Sarah K. Bruch, University of Delaware

• Calaia Samara Ellice Jackson, University of Delaware

• Donatus Doe, University of Delaware