In a study of over 1,000 public middle and high schools throughout New York City, a team of scholars from New York University and Vanderbilt University has found several associations between student discipline rates and teachers’ characteristics and perceptions of school climate. The study leveraged teacher survey data from the Research Alliance for New York City Schools and rates of office referrals and suspensions in school districts between the 2011-12 and 2018-19 school years.
Overall, more positive teacher perceptions of school climate, higher years of teaching experience, and a greater share of Black teachers were independently associated with lower rates of office referrals and suspensions for students overall, and especially for Black and Latinx students. The suspension rate of Black students was also found to be lower in schools with a stronger sense of teacher school commitment (e.g. teachers who responded they “usually look forward to coming to work”).
Notably, schools where teachers had perceptions of a strong school administration had increased suspension rates, suggesting teachers’ views of what an effective principal looks like may be tied to the leader’s ability to enact disciplinary practices.
The authors call for future research to investigate methods to improve school climate for teachers, which could include professional development opportunities focused on discipline, on-the-job support for novice teachers, and support services dedicated to teachers’ socio-emotional well-being. They also highlight the importance of maintaining a diverse teacher workforce to mitigate racial disciplinary disparities.
