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
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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.