Despite a gradual decline in recent years in the rates of suspensions and expulsions of students in Wisconsin, did you know that:

• Each year over 250,000 school days are lost to expulsion and suspensions?
• Black students are 10 times as likely to be suspended as white students? American Indian children 3-4 times as likely and Hispanic children 2-3 times as likely to be suspended?
• Students with disabilities are 3 times as likely to be suspended and 2 times as likely to be expelled as non-disabled students – and the rate is much higher for children with emotional/behavioral disabilities?
• Only about one in four expelled students without disabilities are offered educational services?
• About one in five expulsions last longer than a school year?

(Source: WI Department of Public Instruction (DPI))

We all want safe schools and good learning environments for our kids, but we can work harder to accomplish that goal while at the same time reducing the number of kids who end up out of school and forever behind as the result of being suspended/expelled with no services.

The National Juvenile Justice Network has issued a policy platform about Safe and Effective School Disciplinary Policies and Practices that outlines the concerns and some solutions.  And, I applaud DPI for convening a Task Force for input to help address this issue look forward to recommendations for policy changes and activities that can be implemented to keep kids in school and schools safe. We can do both at the same time!   by Jim Moeser