Black Students, Boys, and Those with Disabilities Were Disproportionately Disciplined Regardless of Type of Discipline, Level of School Poverty, or Type of School

Black students, boys, and students with disabilities were  disproportionately disciplined in K-12 public schools, according to our  analysis of Education’s most recent CRDC data. For example, Black students represented 15.5  percent of all public school students and accounted for 39 percent of  students suspended from school, an overrepresentation of about 23  percentage points. Several school officials noted a range of issues, including complex issues  such as the effects of poverty, mental health issues, and family  dysfunction, that they said contributed to behavior that leads to discipline  (see fig. Officials in our five selected school districts also described what they  perceived as a growing trend of behavioral challenges or provided  examples related to mental health and trauma, such as increased  anxieties, thoughts of and attempts at suicide, and depression among  students. All Selected School Districts Described Changing Their Approach to Discipline

While there is no one-size-fits-all solution to addressing challenging  student behavior, or to the evident disparities in discipline for certain  student groups, officials in two school districts we visited told us they  recognize the importance of finding alternatives to discipline that  unnecessarily removes children from the learning environment. Lastly, to help identify discipline disparities among the nation’s schools,  Education collects comprehensive data on school discipline every other  year through the CRDC. These agencies provided technical  comments, which we incorporated as appropriate. GAO staff who made key contributions to this report  are listed in appendix V.

Appendix I: Objectives, Scope, and Methodology

The objectives of this report were to examine (1) the patterns in  disciplinary actions among public schools, (2) the challenges selected  school districts reported with student behavior and how they are  approaching school discipline, and (3) the actions the Department of  Education (Education) and the Department of Justice (Justice) have taken  to identify and address any disparities or discrimination in school  discipline. With  regard to size, we collapsed several categories that Education has  previously used into three groupings, each with roughly one-third of all  students attending public schools in school year 2013-14:
Large School District: 25,000 or more students (34.7% of all  students in 2013-14)
Medium School District: 5,000 to 24,999 students (33.2% of all  students in 2013-14)
Small School District: Less than 5,000 students (32.1% of all  students in 2013-14)
Further, we focused on out-of-school suspensions for selection purposes  because this disciplinary action was one of the most frequently reported  disciplinary actions employed by schools in Education’s two most recent  data collection efforts on the issue (2011-12 and 2013-14 CRDC). This resulted in the selection of five schools districts, one each  in California, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Dakota, and Texas (see  table 11). In the five districts we visited, we also interviewed officials at a total of 19  schools. Review of Federal Actions

To determine the extent to which, and in what ways, Education and  Justice are identifying and addressing discipline disparities and  discrimination, we interviewed agency officials at headquarters and  regional offices, reviewed agency documentation and administrative data,  reviewed federal laws and regulations, and reviewed a non-generalizable  sample of seven recently resolved school discipline investigations  undertaken by Education and Justice (which we refer to as cases). We selected 4 cases from Education that  provided a mix of the type of alleged discrimination (e.g., race or  disability) and type of discipline (e.g., suspension, expulsion, arrest, etc.).
Why GAO Did This Study

Research has shown that students who experience discipline that removes them from the classroom are more likely to repeat a grade, drop out of school, and become involved in the juvenile justice system. Studies have shown this can result in decreased earning potential and added costs to society, such as incarceration and lost tax revenue. Education and Justice are responsible for enforcing federal civil rights laws that prohibit discrimination in the administration of discipline in public schools.
GAO was asked to review the use of discipline in schools. To provide insight into these issues, this report examines (1) patterns in disciplinary actions among public schools, (2) challenges selected school districts reported with student behavior and how they are approaching school discipline, and (3) actions Education and Justice have taken to identify and address disparities or discrimination in school discipline. GAO analyzed discipline data from nearly all public schools for school year 2013-14 from Education's Civil Rights Data Collection; interviewed federal and state officials, as well as officials from a total of 5 districts and 19 schools in California, Georgia, Massachusetts, North Dakota, and Texas. We selected these districts based on disparities in suspensions for Black students, boys, or students with disabilities, and diversity in size and location. We also reviewed federal laws and a non-generalizable sample of seven recently resolved federal school discipline investigations (selected in part based on the type of alleged discrimination). We incorporated technical comments from the agencies as appropriate.

What GAO Found

Black students, boys, and students with disabilities were disproportionately disciplined (e.g., suspensions and expulsions) in K-12 public schools, according to GAO's analysis of Department of Education (Education) national civil rights data for school year 2013-14, the most recent available. These disparities were widespread and persisted regardless of the type of disciplinary action, level of school poverty, or type of public school attended. For example, Black students accounted for 15.5 percent of all public school students, but represented about 39 percent of students suspended from school—an overrepresentation of about 23 percentage points (see figure).
Officials GAO interviewed in all five school districts in the five states GAO visited reported various challenges with addressing student behavior, and said they were considering new approaches to school discipline. They described a range of issues, some complex—such as the effects of poverty and mental health issues. For example, officials in four school districts described a growing trend of behavioral challenges related to mental health and trauma. While there is no one-size-fits-all solution for the issues that influence student behavior, officials from all five school districts GAO visited were implementing alternatives to disciplinary actions that remove children from the classroom, such as initiatives that promote positive behavioral expectations for students.
Education and the Department of Justice (Justice) documented several actions taken to identify and address school discipline issues. For example, both agencies investigated cases alleging discrimination. Further, to help identify persistent disparities among the nation's schools, Education collects comprehensive data on school discipline every other year through its Civil Rights Data Collection effort.