School Discipline Policy Research
School discipline policies shape how children experience school and early learning. Suspension, expulsion, corporal punishment, restraint, and seclusion can remove children from learning environments. The Children’s Equity Project at Arizona State University studies how these practices are used, how state and local policies shape discipline, and how exclusionary discipline can affect children differently.
CEP’s discipline policy research covers early childhood through the K–12 grades. The reports examine state laws and policies, discipline data, disparities affecting Black and Indigenous children, boys, and children with disabilities, and approaches to reducing exclusion and supporting children.
CEP school discipline research and resources
Harsh Punishment and Exclusionary Discipline in the Early Years
This report reviews data, research, and policy related to harsh punishment and exclusionary discipline in early childhood. It compares Head Start requirements with state policies, including child care licensing standards and Child Care and Development Fund policies.
National Equity Landscape of State Exclusionary Discipline Policies Across Pre-K–12 Contexts
This report examines state discipline policies across four areas: student behavior incidents, grade limits on exclusion, limits on the length of exclusion, and alternatives to harsh discipline. It also reviews policy trends from 2018 to 2023.
A Holistic Approach to Ending Exclusionary Discipline for Young Learners
This report reviews available data and research, explores factors that contribute to exclusionary discipline, and presents a multidimensional framework for policymakers working to reduce its use and address disparities.
Harsh Discipline and Its Disproportionate Application in the Early Years and Early Grades
This resource examines discipline data and disparities in early learning and the early grades, including suspension, expulsion, corporal punishment, seclusion, and restraint.
The Preschool (and Beyond) Exclusionary Discipline Study
CEP’s PEDS resources examine out-of-school suspension data in public pre-K and elementary schools. The reports provide an initial look at discipline patterns using federal civil rights data.
Report 1: Out-of-School Suspensions in U.S. Public Elementary Schools
Report 2: The effects of out-of-school suspension on young learners
Addressing Harsh Discipline and Disparities: What We Know and What We Should Do About It
This policy brief reviews harsh discipline and disparities in learning settings and presents policy recommendations for addressing them.
The Price of Punishment: Days Missed Due to Suspension in U.S. K–12 Public Schools
This research article analyzes days missed due to suspension using 2017–2018 data from U.S. public schools. It reports about 11 million days missed due to suspension in that national sample and examines differences across school and student groups.
Frequently Asked Questions
Exclusionary discipline refers to disciplinary practices that remove a student from a classroom or learning setting. Examples include out-of-school suspension and expulsion. CEP’s research also examines corporal punishment, seclusion, and restraint.
School discipline policy can define which behaviors may result in discipline, what consequences schools may use, how long a student may be removed, whether policies apply to certain grade levels, and what alternatives or supports are available. CEP’s state policy analysis examines these issues across Pre-K–12 systems.
State and local policies can shape school decisions about exclusion and other disciplinary practices. CEP’s research examines how policies may either promote equity or contribute to disparities in students’ experiences.
CEP research examines disparities affecting Black and Indigenous children, boys, and children with disabilities. It also considers how overlapping identities can shape children’s experiences with discipline.
CEP studies suspension, expulsion, corporal punishment, seclusion, restraint, and other forms of exclusionary discipline in early childhood and K–12 learning settings. Its reports examine data, policies, disparities, and approaches for reducing harsh discipline.
Suspension temporarily removes a student from school or a learning setting for a specified period. Expulsion is a more extended or permanent removal under applicable school or program rules. Specific definitions and procedures vary by jurisdiction and setting.
CEP’s research and policy resources examine prevention-focused and supportive approaches, including alternatives to harsh discipline. The specific policies and practices discussed vary by report and setting.
CEP’s early childhood resources include research briefs on public pre-K discipline, the PEDS reports, a holistic framework for ending exclusionary discipline, and a comparison of Head Start discipline protections with state policies.
The resources are designed for policymakers, educators, school and early childhood program leaders, researchers, advocates, and others working to understand discipline policies and improve children’s learning experiences.