Preventing Disciplinary Exclusions of Students from American Indian/Alaska Native Backgrounds

Abstract

We present 2009–2010 data on disciplinary exclusions in schools and juvenile incarcerations from one state in the United States to demonstrate that American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) students: (a) are disproportionately overrepresented in disciplinary exclusions from the classroom, (b) lose 4.5 times as many student days as White students due to disciplinary exclusions, and (c) are removed to alternative education for relatively minor offenses. We then present an overview of the literature on culturally responsive school environments, the Native community's recommendations to improve outcomes for AI/AN students and approaches to educational systems changes that might alleviate disciplinary exclusions of AI/AN students.Keypoints high drop‐out rates low graduation rates low academic achievement disproportionate representation in exclusionary discipline