Dive Brief:

• A new study published in the journal Sociology of Education found that schools with large numbers of white students are likely to have more students in special education services, while schools with large numbers of black students tended to have higher rates of suspension.
• The study reinforces national data on school discipline that found higher rates of disciplinary action against black and other minority students.
• Overall, the Huffington Post reports, this "leads to the criminalization of young black students and the medicalization of white students."

Dive Insight:

The mechanics of how these disparities are complicated. A large portion can likely be attributed to racial bias. David Ramey, the Pennsylvania State University professor who conducted the study, pointed to earlier research he's done that people's perceptions of misbehavior is behind much of the unequal disciplinary actions. 

"... for the same minor levels of misbehaviors — for example, classroom disruptions, talking back— white kids tend to get viewed as having ADHD, or having some sort of behavioral problem, while black kids are viewed as being unruly and unwilling to learn," he said in a press release.

Ramey said that some support the idea that suspensions and medications may be used to keep low-performing students from taking standardized tests, thus lowering the school's overall performance.

The study also suggests that some of the disparities lie in how students with lower levels of difficulty are treated. Under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, students with some level of impairment must receive treatment but schools do not receive additional funds to treat them. That can discourage educators from seeking out extra help for students who are struggling.

Recommended Reading

Huffington Post: Black Students In The U.S. Get Criminalized While White Students Ge...