As many districts move to review—and in some cases end—out-of-school suspensions and expulsions for their youngest pupils, the Houston district has voted against a proposal that would have banned suspending children in pre-K-2.
Instead, the school board tentatively approved a policy that would make suspensions and expulsions the last resort for young children and would call for training staff in de-escalation techniques and in creating positive classroom environments.
Of the 2,673 reported disciplinary incidents for pupils grades pre-K-2 in the 2014-15 school year, 87 percent involved children who were economically disadvantaged, at-risk, or both, the district said. And while African-American students accounted for 25 percent of the district’s enrollment, they made up 70 percent of the reported discipline incidents.
