Many schools, locally and nationally, are beginning to show reductions in school suspension rates. That's because, in recent years, more attention has been focused on racial disparities in suspensions and on the fact that kicking a student out of school often does more long-term harm than good.
Yet St. Paul schools, while enjoying an overall reduction, saw a sharp increase in suspensions for one age group in the first three quarters of 2013-14. Suspensions among middle school kids — grades 6-8 — rose from 673 the previous year to 1,066 this year, up 58 percent.
That troubling trend must be addressed. The middle grades are the point at which many families decide whether to keep their children in traditional public schools or to seek an alternative. Too much disruptive, unruly behavior in classrooms and halls can drive students away from public schools.
A group of five St. Paul teachers was concerned that district policies to reduce suspensions, combined with a change in the configuration of middle schools and the mainstreaming of more special education students, have produced more problem behavior. In a statement to the board, they asked that the administration take steps such as withholding recess from misbehaving students and requiring after school detention for others.
As is true in most urban districts, African-American students in St. Paul are more likely to be suspended and placed in special education. Yet research has shown that black students do not misbehave at higher rates than other students. But minority kids are suspended more often, for less serious and more subjective infractions, and with more serious consequences. In too many cases, suspension only increases the already-wide learning disparities among student groups.
Many Minnesota schools have been working on the issue with some success. In May, the Minnesota Department of Education recognized 30 schools for sustained, successful use of Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support (PBIS), a research-based approach that provides schools with training and support in managing students with challenging behaviors. Since 2005, PBIS has been used in 478 Minnesota schools.
Among those lauded for excellence were metro-area suburban schools and some outstate schools. There were no schools from the metro area's three largest school districts on this year's list, though they also have been involved in the state program.
Still, officials in the Anoka-Hennepin and Minneapolis districts say their suspension rates have dropped in recent years. Minneapolis data show that in 2011-12, there were 3,886 suspensions involving 3,040 students. During the school year ending in June, there were 3,751 suspensions involving 2,787 students.
