Schooling Levels and School Discipline: Examining the Variation in Disciplinary Infractions and Consequences Across Elementary, Middle, and High Schools

Abstract

School discipline is a significant problem of practice and policy. The differences in disciplinary patterns across schooling levels have received relatively little attention. This study examines the differences in disciplinary infractions and consequences across elementary, middle, and high schools. The results illustrate there are important variations in students’ disciplinary experiences across elementary, middle and high schools. In elementary schools, there is low overall prevalence of out of school suspension (OSS) yet disparities in OSS exist, especially for Black students and students with disabilities (SWDs). In middle and high schools, there is high overall prevalence of both in-school suspension (ISS) and OSS. The Black OSS and ISS risk indices as well as Black-White disparities in OSS and ISS are highest in middle schools. Differential processing (receiving harsher consequences for similar infractions) also varies across suspension types and schooling levels. In high schools, female students are more likely to receive an OSS for subjective offenses, whereas male students are more likely to receive an OSS for attendance-related offenses. Similar to elementary schools, there is differential processing of subjective offenses for SWDs in high schools. Scholarly and policy implications are discussed.