Climate Change: Implementing School Discipline Practices That Create a Positive School Climate

This report is the second in a series that analyzes data from the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights’ Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) to determine how this data can be used to support effective high school reform. To read each of the reports in All4Ed’s series on how equitable access to rigorous and engaging course work and access to effective teaching work together to create a positive school climate, as well as policy recommendations for improving school climate, check out the full Climate Change series, available below.

Middle and high school students subjected to harsh school discipline policies and practices such as suspensions and expulsions are more likely to disengage from the classroom and course work, and increases their chances of dropping out, according to this new report from All4Ed. The report recommends implementing measures that address discipline in fair and equitable ways so that schools and districts can improve school climate and ensure that all students graduate from high school ready for college and a career.