Behavior

While the Task Force was convened specifically to address gaps in achievement, we believe a number of additional variables must be addressed if we are to truly meet the needs of all students in Kirkwood. Most notably, African American students are suspended from Kirkwood schools at a rate and pace far outdistancing their white counterparts.

Photo Credit: Ben Smith

During the 2013-2014 school year, there were 377 behavior incidents that resulted in out of school suspension (OSS) for students. 269 of the 377 incidents were attributed to African American students (71%), while only 15.2% of students in Kirkwood were African American that year. African American students missed 1032 days of school as a result of out of school suspensions. As a point of contrast, 75.6% of all students (preK-12) were white in 2013-2014. White students missed 278 days for out of school suspension, covering 78 incidents.
During the 2014-2015 school year, there were 280 behavior incidents that resulted in out of school suspension (OSS) for students. 160 of the 280 incidents were attributed to African American students (57%), while only 14.2% of students in Kirkwood were African American that year. African American students missed 589 days of school as a result of out of school suspensions. As a point of contrast, 76.3% of all students (preK-12) were white in 2014-2015. White students missed 324 days for out of school suspension, covering 89 incidents.
During the 2015-2016 school year, there have been 211 behavior incidents that resulted in out of school suspension (OSS) for students (as of April 1, 2016). 129 of the 211 incidents were attributed to African American students (61%), while only 13% of students in Kirkwood are African American this year. African American students have thus far missed 469 days of school as a result of out of school suspensions. As a point of contrast, 76.9% of all students (preK-12) are white in 2015-2016. White students have thus far missed 208 days for out of school suspension, covering 68 incidents.
Of the 26 students who’ve had discipline hearings thus far in 2015-2016, 21 of the students have been for African-American students. All hearings have been for students in middle or high school.
During the 2014-15 school year – our last full year of data – there was one out-of-school suspension was for every 51 white students in the Kirkwood School District. Conversely, there was one out-of-school suspension for every five African American students in our district. If given suspensions at a rate equal to their enrollment, black students would have had 43 OSS incidents. Instead, they received 160.

We cannot raise African American achievement levels in our district if we do not address disparities in discipline data and thus the number of days our students are missing school due to suspensions. If they are not in school, they cannot learn.

Our goal, at each school and as a district, should be to have OSS incident rates for African American students equal to or below percentages of enrollment, by the end of the 2018-2019 school year.

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