Restorative justice and dynamic chronologies in disciplinary referrals in an urban middle school

Abstract

ABSTRACT School referrals are a key initial step in the school-to-prison pipeline, both via direct referral to law enforcement and through accumulated mechanism of control upon students. However, few studies have examined the chronological trajectory of referral usage within a school year. This study investigated whether the assignment of school disciplinary referrals varies over time over a typical school year, and whether that variation differed based on student demographic characteristics. Using longitudinal data from a medium-sized urban middle school in the eastern United States, the study found a statistically significant quadratic relationship between office referrals and time among students of color specifically. However, no such relationship could be observed for White students, for whom referrals were subject to little variation over the course of a school year. Finally, evidence was found that racial disparities in referrals were also subject to a quadratic trajectory as the year progressed. These findings demonstrate the need for deeper investigation into racialized variation in how office referrals are administered over time.