Incidents like the cases of Michael Brown and Trayvon Martin have shown that racial profiling is still a huge problem in the United States. I remember my shock as I listened to their mother explain that they had been expelled from school for incidents such as throwing a chair in the general vicinity of a teacher or "threatening" a teacher by slapping her on the arm.
METHODOLOGY
My dissertation will seek to answer the questions (1) how do current school discipline policies affect preschool students, (2) to what extent are there racial disparities in school punishment and what are the implications for black kindergarten students, and (3) what can Mississippi do to minimize suspension of kindergarten students and eliminate racial disparities in discipline policies. It is my hope that this research will provide insight into a problem that affects many students.
LITERATURE REVIEW SECTION 2.1: INTRODUCTION
DEFINING ZERO-TOLERANCE
Also included in this list is a zero tolerance for the representations of game or drawn firearms.8. The road to hell is paved with good intentions”: A historical, theoretical, and legal analysis of zero-tolerance policies in American schools.
ZERO-TOLERANCE POLICIES IN ACTION
Suspension in school is also said to negatively affect a student's self-esteem as well as increase the possibility of students dropping out. 14. The authors acknowledge that there are state guidelines that have helped address some issues related to out-of-school suspension.16 “In Texas, for example, the number of days a student can be suspended for an infraction is three school days. "17.
CORPORAL PUNISHMENT
Psychologist Elizabeth Thompson Gershoff has led studies on corporal punishment and concluded in 2002 that it has major negative effects. In 2006, “African-American students make up 17.1% of the student population nationwide, but 35.6% of those who drive.”26 A study conducted by Human Rights Watch compiled data to prove that corporal punishment is distributed across unfair way. .
DISCIPLINE IN PRESCHOOL PROGRAMS
An estimated 5,117 kindergarteners are expelled nationally each year, which is 3.2 times higher than the national expulsion rate for students grades K-12 (2.1 per 1,000 enrolled). Child Assistance Program (13.0 per 1,000 students) tied with North Carolina More at Four Pre-Kindergarten Program.30.
RACIAL DISPARITIES IN DISCIPLINE ACTIONS
It is likely that most teachers who use racial profiling are not aware of it. Available research shows that racial profiling is not only present in everyday life, but also in the school system.
CONCLUSION
As a result, they have less access to the kinds of structural pathways needed to advance in our society and ultimately become less valued in our culture,” ultimately being “quickly pushed to the margins.”
NORTH CAROLINA CASE STUDY
INTRODUCTION
PBIS is a program that uses incentives to enforce positive behaviors, especially among young children who are most receptive to positive behavior modules. PBIS is a data-driven approach that bases its practices on what works and what doesn't.
THE NORTH CAROLINA PRE-K PROGRAM
Carolina has seen improvements in their discipline referrals as fewer children are referred to the office. It is important to look at these standards to draw parallels with the State of Mississippi funded Pre-K program.
THE PRE-K CHILD
The student population served by the NC Pre-K program is children who are expelled at higher rates than white students. Since the majority of the population served by NC Pre-K are students who are highly susceptible to suspension and expulsion, it is necessary for North Carolina to prevent high levels of discipline from occurring.
THE NC PRE-K SITE
These teachers would be more knowledgeable about effective discipline and would have lower expulsion and suspension rates in their classrooms. Highly rated programs could also provide a strong foundation in discipline and ensure that it is applied uniformly in all classrooms.
THE NC PRE-K CLASSROOM
This will allow the teacher to address discipline problems more effectively by having that opportunity to have an individual conversation with the student instead of having to quickly punish the student while dealing with the entire classroom. The strong family involvement in the pre-K child's education will also create a more effective system for addressing discipline problems in the classroom and at home.
THE NC PRE-K STAFF
Side entry BK license or, (2) A North Carolina K-6 license and a provisional Preschool Supplemental license, or (3) Another North Carolina or other state license and a provisional B-K supplemental license NC, or (4) A BA / BS degree in early childhood. North Carolina has been working to improve teacher education levels and credentials in Pre-K programs over the past few years, and they've seen improvements.
THE NEED FOR A NEW DISCIPLINE POLICY
Lynn Road wasn't the only school in North Carolina showing problems with their discipline system - this was a state-wide problem. Discipline data reported by the Department of Public Instruction, the Exceptional Children Division, and the Behavioral Support Services in North Carolina public schools between the years 2000 and 2002 highlighted behavioral problems in elementary and secondary education.
POSITIVE BEHAVIORAL INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT (PBIS) North Carolina implemented the Positive Behavioral Intervention and Support
Secondary prevention at the individual level includes: “(1) teaching the student to use new skills as a. They are the people who assess the student and intervene when behavior is deemed inappropriate.
IMPLEMENTATION
107 “Good News About Positive Behavior in North Carolina: A Few Cases.” Positive Behavior Intervention and Support. PBIS provides a fair system for disciplinary action because it involves “the use of data collection systems that promote disciplinary consistency among students and teachers and allow schools to examine potential trends in their Office Disciplinary Referral (ODR) data by student groups, locations, hours , or behaviors.”110 Looking at a study of schools from 6 schools in the Durham Public School System (4 elementary and 2 middle) that successfully implement PBIS and meet district criteria for.
CONCLUSION
The declines in office referrals, ISS, OSS, and deportations that North Carolina has experienced are interesting, if not impressive. The PBIS program has produced significant improvements in discipline data, and a lesson can be learned from North Carolina—positive reinforcement can lead to positive outcomes.
TENNESSEE CASE STUDY SECTION 4.1: INTRODUCTION
THE TENNESSEE PRE-K PROGRAM SECTION 4.2.1: THE TENNESSEE PRE-K CHILD
The Tennessee Department of Education states, “The TN VPK programs cannot dismiss a child for inappropriate behavior without submitting documentation of behavioral intervention efforts to the Tennessee Department of Education, Office of Early Learning.”116 However, this only provides a method of accountability – this does not prohibit dismissal of a student from the program.
THE TENNESSEE PRE-K SITE
According to the University of Tennessee College of Social Work Office of Research and Public Service, the more starts a program has, the higher the quality of the program is said to be.119 centers are scored on: (1) the director's qualifications or experience, Education and training; (2) the education, training, and previous work experience of the teaching staff; (3) developmental learning; (4) parent and family involvement; (5) ratios and group sizes; (6) the center's staff salary and benefit arrangements; and (7) program. However, the high quality of the program would also make access to these pre-K programs very competitive.
THE TENNESSEE PRE-K CLASSROOM
According to the University of Tennessee College of Social Work Office of Research and Public Service, the more starts a program has, the higher the quality of the program is said to be.119 centers are scored on: (1) the director's qualifications or experience, Education and training; . According to Walter Gilliam, the director of the Edward Zigler Center for Child Development and Social Policy at Yale University, "Classrooms with fewer than eight students per teacher are much less likely to expel children."124 However.
THE TENNESSEE PRE-K STAFF
THE TENNESSEE PRE-K DISCIPLINE POLICY
Not only has this program been successful in more than ten states, but the Tennessee legislature wrote the pyramid model into the TN VPK legislation as the backbone of all discipline policies. The Pyramid Model Partnership Team at the Tennessee Center for the Social and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) believed that implementing the Pyramid Model in TN VPK would yield positive results for children and for the program itself.
THE PYRAMID MODEL
142 “The Pyramid Model for Supporting Social-Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children Fact Sheet.” Technical Assistance Center for Social-Emotional Intervention. 147 “The Pyramid Model for Supporting Social-Emotional Competence in Infants and Young Children Fact Sheet.” Technical Assistance Center for Social-Emotional Intervention.
IMPLEMENTATION
Education (IHE).”157 The secondary target population was teachers, child care providers, specialty program staff and family members, and early childhood education systems. Finally, the tertiary target population was made up of children (birth to 5 years) and their families served by these early childhood education systems.158.
6,200 TDOE/ Tennessee’s Early
The study describes some of the positive social-emotional development outcomes attributed to the pyramid model, such as cognition and the ability to follow behavioral expectations. First, given that the pyramid model is a tiered model, there are levels of intervention that allow for individualized attention.
CONCLUSION
However, because there are similarities between the Pyramid Model and Positive Behavior Intervention Support (PBIS) used in North Carolina, we can make predictions based on evidence in the North Carolina case study. The Pyramid Model also emphasizes the need for prevention teams to include strategies that are culturally appropriate for the students.
MISSISSIPPI SECTION 5.1: INTRODUCTION
THE EARLY LEARNING COLLABORATIVE ACT
The legislation also defines a “lead partner” which is a public school district or nonprofit entity that has the instructional expertise and capacity to manage the early learning associate's prekindergarten program as described in the funding application.176 The lead partner has the duty distribute funds, facilitating a professional learning environment for teachers and ensuring that the cooperative "adopts and implements curriculum and assessments that align with comprehensive learning standards."177 Child care centers that are not affiliated with a district public school must be licensed to participate and must be able to demonstrate the quality of the program with an assessment tool approved by the Mississippi Department of Education.178. In the next section, I will first review what the Early Learning Collaborative Act mandates regarding the funding of a pre-K program.
WHAT THE EARLY LEARNING COLLABORATIVE ACT ALLOWS
The third phase would have more resources and serve 15,000 children through 20-25 early learning partnerships and their pre-kindergarten providers.190. The Senate bill then adds that early learning participation is expected to match state funds 1:1 at the local level.
THE MONEY DEBATE
WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR PRE-K?
She concluded that improving the quality of existing preschool programs is "so, so expensive."201 There are also high licensing costs for child care centers because they must meet a long list of standards to become certified. If we are already potentially underfunding pre-service programs in Mississippi, there must be an incentive to spend money on effective discipline policies.
PROBLEMS WITH DISCIPLINE IN MISSISSIPPI
In "The Shocking Details of a Mississippi School to Prison Pipeline," Hing wrote, "In 2011, a high school student was suspended and sent to an alternative school for five weeks after she told school administrators about a rap song she had written and recorded, while at home, about his 218 Julianne Hing, "The Shocking Details of a Mississippi School-to-Prison Pipeline," Colorlines New for Action (Nov available at
MISSISSIPPI DISCIPLINE POLICY
Meridian Public School District has implemented Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) in their school district. This is a new feature of the Meridian Public School District brought by the lawsuit against the school district.
MISSISSIPPI PRE-K RECOMMENDATION
An established statewide policy is needed for pre-K students to continue to encourage positive and thoughtful discipline methods in the classroom. Mississippi should have a vested interest in implementing a program that reduces discipline referrals for pre-K students.
CONCLUSION
American Civil Liberties Union, “ACLU Files Lawsuit Accusing Mississippi Police and School Officials of Racial Discrimination and Excessive Use of Force Against Schoolchildren,” (Apr. 9, 2009), available at http://www.aclu.org/racial -. Mississippi Finally Funds Pre-K Education Statewide — But Only for Six Percent of Youngest Students.” Hechinger Report.
