Dive Brief:
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A new report from UCLA’s Civil Rights Project found dramatic costs associated with high suspension rates across the country.
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Examining data from 10th graders, the report found an $11.06 billion annual cost — plus an additional $24.68 billion in social consequences: “the lifetime differences between dropouts and graduates in: incomes; taxes paid; government spending on health, crime, and welfare; tax distortions; and productivity gains” — for a 16% national suspension rate.
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The researchers found that a 1% decrease yields $2.23 billion in cost reduction and an additional $1.54 billion decrease in social impact. Halving the 16% suspension rate would save $17.87 billion in fiscal and social costs.
Dive Insight:
The report lends an economic impact to what is commonly referred to as the school-to-prison pipeline: The idea that suspending students often leads to involvement with the criminal justice system. Research has shown that students who have been suspended are often likely to be suspended again, and may eventually drop out of school altogether. Often, these students become criminally involved, facing few options for employment with not even a high school diploma. Research has also shown that students of color and disabled students are disproportionately represented by this trend.
Now, with data exploiting the economic impact of high suspension rates on the society at large, districts may have more of an incentive to address the discipline disparities and consider alternatives to suspensions to correct troublesome behavior in students. In some places, having parents join their misbehaving students in class, instead of putting those students out of class, has proven effective. And studies have shown increased teacher empathy also helps lower suspension rates and curb bad habits.