INEQUITIES IN THE NUMBER OF DAYS ASSIGNED TO AN EXCLUSIONARY DISCIPLINE CONSEQUENCE AS A FUNCTION OF ETHNICITY/RACE AND ECONOMIC STATUS OF TEXAS HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS: A MULTIYEAR, STATEWIDE INVESTIGATION

Date

2021-03-05

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Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this journal-ready dissertation was to determine the degree to

which the number of days that Texas Grade 9, 10, and 11 students assigned an

exclusionary discipline consequence differed by their ethnicity/race (i.e. Black, Hispanic,

and White), and economic status (i.e. Poor, Not Poor). In the first study, the extent to

which differences existed in the number of days assigned to an exclusionary discipline

consequence (i.e. in-school suspension, out-of-school suspension) based on the

ethnicity/race of Grade 9, 10, and 11 boys was investigated. In the second study, the

extent to which differences existed in the number of days assigned to an exclusionary

discipline consequence based on the ethnicity/race of Grade 9, 10, and 11 girls was

investigated. In the third study, the extent in which differences existed in the number of

days Texas Grade 9, 10, and 11 boys were assigned an exclusionary discipline

consequence based on their economic status was investigated.

Method

In this analysis, a causal-comparative research design was used. Archival data

were obtained from the Texas Education Agency through a Public Information Request

for the 2015-2016, 2016-2017, and 2017-2018 school years.

Findings

In all three grade levels and for all three school years, clear disparities were

documented in the assignment of days to exclusionary discipline consequences. Black

boys were assigned to the highest number of days in both in-school suspension and to

out-of-school suspension, followed by Hispanic boys, and then by White boys. Similar

results were documented for girls. In all three grade levels and for all three school years,

Black girls were assigned to the highest number of days to both in-school suspension and

to out-of-school suspension, followed by Hispanic girls and then by White girls.

Concerning poverty, for all three grade levels and for all three school years, Black,

Hispanic, and White students who were Poor were assigned statistically significantly

more days to in-school suspension and to out-of-school suspension than their peers who

were Not Poor. Results were congruent with the extant literature regarding the presence

of statistically significant relationships between student demographic characteristics and

exclusionary discipline assignments.

Description

Keywords

Disproportionality, In-school suspension, Out-of-school suspension, Ethnicity/Race, Black, Hispanic, White, Economic status, Poor, Not poor, Boys, Girls, Grades 9, 10, and 11

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