Research Article

The Dynamic Nature of Student Discipline and Discipline Disparities

Sean Darling-Hammond, Michael Ruizb, Jennifer L. Eberhardt, and ­Jason A. Okonofua
January 2023 | Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences

This research article in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences considers changes in student discipline over time. The researchers find that discipline escalates during the school year and escalates more severely for Black students, and that racial disparities in discipline escalate most in schools that have a high degree of racial disparity in discipline practices early in the year. The authors discuss how the findings provide insight regarding when and where to intervene to reduce discipline and discipline discrepancies.