The Huffington Post – Rebecca Klein
“California is leading the way in making sure that young kids don’t get pushed out of school for minor misbehavior. A new study out Monday from UCLA’s Civil Rights Project shows that districts in the Golden State sharply reduced the number of suspensions given to kids between 2011 and 2014. At the same time that suspension rates went down in many areas, academic achievement improved — suggesting that the move away from harsh discipline practices benefitted schools. The study comes at a time when schools are facing increased scrutiny for perpetuating the so-called school-to-prison pipeline by employing tactics that push students out of school and make them more likely to end up in the criminal justice system. The school-to-prison pipeline especially impacts youth of color, who typically face higher suspension and expulsion rates.”(more)