Breaking the culture of school suspension: alternatives to external suspension and exclusion for P-6 students

ABSTRACT

Exclusionary school discipline practices have long been used to address challenging behaviours by students. However, a considerable body of research exists to refute that school disciplinary absences lead to improvements in student behaviour. Evidence suggests that exclusionary discipline has negative consequences for individuals, with suspensions and exclusions predicting involvement with the juvenile justice and criminal justice systems, known as the school-to-prison pipeline. Further evidence suggests that school disciplinary absences are disproportionately applied to Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC) students and students with disability. We conducted a systematic literature review on alternatives to exclusionary discipline to determine their applicability to a P-6 context in Queensland, Australia. Three main alternative approaches emerged: socio-emotional learning (SEL) programs, the Positive Behaviour Interventions and Supports framework (PBIS), and Restorative Justice Practices (RJP). Limitations around the generalisability of the large body of international research to a Queensland, Australia context exist. The approach with the greatest potential in our specific context is PBIS, and recommendations around avenues for future research are made.

KEYWORDS:

• School discipline
• suspension
• exclusion
• alternatives
• student behaviour

Acknowledgments

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners and Custodians of the lands on which we live and work. We recognise their continued custodianship and connection to the land, waters, and community. We pay our respects to them and their Elders past and present as our knowledge holders.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no funding to produce this article.

Notes on contributors

B. L. Avery-Overduin

Brooke Avery-Overduin is a high school teacher of over 17 years’ experience with a keen interest in student behaviour and addressing inequities in student behaviour and disciplinary approaches in primary schools. She has a Masters in Educational Studies (Behaviour Support) and is currently working towards alternative approaches to exclusionary discipline practices.

S. Poed

Shiralee Poed is an Associate Professor within the School of Education at the University of Queensland. She is also the Chair of the Association for Positive Behaviour Support Australia. Her career spans more than 30 years, and includes working as a teacher and leader in Australian state, Catholic and independent primary, secondary and special schools.