Call to Action: A Critical Need for Designing Alternatives to Suspension and Expulsion

Abstract

This study presents the findings of a content analysis of 120 high school-level, written discipline policies collected from six states. Suspension was commonly offered as a response for all behaviors, including minor ones. Discipline policies varied by state in terms of the degree to which suspension was featured. Based on these findings and related literature, it is argued that a call to action is needed to address the long-standing punitive nature of school discipline. Two recommendations are offered for schools to engage in as part of a process to overhaul school discipline: (a) review and alter discipline policies so they contain alternatives to traditional school suspension, and (b) implement and evaluate proactive alternatives to suspension to build a database of evidence-based options that could replace exclusionary discipline practices.