Discipline Disproportionality among Hispanic and American Indian Students: Expanding the Discourse in U.S. Research

Abstract

While disproportionality in discipline referrals and discipline action has been fairly well established amongAfrican American students in the United States, especially males in urban school districts, little research haslooked at disproportionality among American Indian and Latino students. This paper uses a large dataset fromthe State of Arizona, with rich data on American Indian and Latino students, to explore if and how these studentsare being disproportionately referred for discipline and if and how these students are being punished moreharshly for lesser violations than their peers. Results indicate that disproportionality in discipline referrals and inviolation to action relationship for American Indians is on par with those of African Americans. Latino studentswere shown to be nearly proportional to their population.