Alternative disciplinary practices in schools impact suspension and expulsion rates for minor behavior infractions committed by students of color

The purpose of this study is to determine if schools that practice alternative methods to discipline—such as positive behavior interventions and supports (PBIS)—compared to those that utilize exclusionary discipline under zero tolerance policy show a significant decrease in the rate of suspension and expulsion for students of color that commit minor behavior infractions. The findings of this study support that when introducing PBIS into a school district that formerly followed zero tolerance policy as a disciplinary method, a decrease in the overall percentage of suspensions experienced for minor behavior infractions by the entire student population is observed. In addition, the data suggests that the introduction of PBIS has closed the racial gap for suspensions due to minor behavior infractions. Research on exclusionary discipline has revealed that this approach to discipline has short and long-term impacts on academic achievement, socioeconomic status and a predictor of mental health disparities and involvement with the criminal justice system. Therefore, it must be a priority for social workers to advocate for the implementation of alternative approaches to exclusionary discipline practices such as PBIS, which has demonstrated in this study and many others to decrease the overall experience of suspensions and expulsions.