GRADE 4 AND 5 INEQUITIES IN DISCIPLINARY CONSEQUENCES BY ETHNICITY/RACE AND GENDER

Examined in this research investigation was the extent to which differences were present in discipline consequence assignments for Grade 4 and Grade 5 students by ethnicity/race (i.e., White, Black, and Hispanic) and gender. Archival data were obtained from the Texas Education Agency Public Education Information Management System. Statistically significant differences were yielded in discipline consequence assignments, with the exception of Grade 4 boys and girls. No Grade 4 White students were assigned to part day out-of-school suspension, whereas 5 Black and 31 Hispanic students were assigned to part day out-of-school suspension. No Grade 5 White students were assigned to part day out-of-school suspension, whereas 53 Black and 14 Hispanic students were assigned to part day out-of-school suspension. With respect to gender, 36 Grade 4 boys were assigned to part day out-of-school suspension, whereas no Grade 4 girls were assigned to part day out-of-school suspension. Part day out-of-school suspension was assigned to 62 Grade 5 boys, whereas part day out-of-school suspension was assigned to only 5 Grade 5 girls. Implications of the findings are discussed and suggestions for further research are made.