Each year nearly three million students are suspended from U.S. public schools, often for minor, non-violent infractions like “willful defiance,” texting in class, or violating dress code. The theory is that removing disruptive students protects the learning environment and deters future misbehavior.
However, emerging research paints a far different picture. From declines in academic performance and student engagement to lasting damage to mental health, exclusionary discipline may be doing more harm than good to both the students it targets and whole classrooms.
At School Principals 411, we believe every student deserves a safe, effective, and equitable learning environment, and reconsidering suspension as the default approach to discipline, may be the key to succeeding in this.
Suspensions Undermine Learning
A 2022 study published in American Psychologist tracked more than 1,800 students across math and science classrooms. The results were telling:
- Students suspended for minor infractions had significantly lower grades, GPAs, and classroom engagement.
- Classmates of suspended students (those who were not disciplined themselves) also showed declines in academic performance.
- Suspensions created a climate of mistrust and disengagement, especially when punishments felt inconsistent or unfair.
More Severe Punishments = More Harm
The American Institutes for Research (AIR) reached similar conclusions in its 2021 analysis of 10 years of data from New York City public schools. Their study, one of the most comprehensive to date, found that:
- Longer suspensions caused larger drops in academic credit accumulation and graduation rates.
- Students receiving out-of-school suspension (OSS) instead of in-school suspension (ISS) were less likely to pass math and English the following year.
- There was no evidence that harsher punishment improved the behavior or academic performance of disciplined students or their peers.
- The most severely impacted students were disproportionately Black, disabled, or living in poverty.
These findings debunk the myth that exclusion benefits the “well-behaved majority.” In fact, harsh disciplinary tactics often hurt the entire learning community.
Mental Health and Mistrust
While exclusionary discipline practices affect the grades and engagement of individuals and classrooms, a 2024 study led by researchers at the University of Minnesota found that they also affect the students’ mental health. Results show that students suspended from school were:
- 64% more likely to show symptoms of depression
- 49% more likely to experience anxiety
These effects were mostly consistent across racial and economic lines, but especially severe for students already facing adversity. The study also found that protective factors like supportive adults at school, extracurriculars, and peer relationships, could buffer against these mental health risks, emphasizing the importance of inclusive environments.
Equity Gaps Widened by Suspension
According to the U.S. Department of Education’s Civil Rights Data Collection:
- In 2017–18, Black students made up just 15% of enrollment but received 31.4% of all in-school suspensions and 38.2% of all out-of-school suspensions
- Students with disabilities (13.2% of the population) received over 24% of OSS
This overrepresentation leads to widening academic gaps, higher dropout rates, and long-term consequences for already vulnerable groups.
What Principals Can Do: Proven Alternatives to Suspension
The research is clear: exclusionary discipline doesn’t work. But what does? Here are six evidence-backed strategies that schools across the country are successfully using:
1. Restorative Justice and Circle Discussions
Encourage students to reflect on the impact of their actions, repair relationships, and rejoin the classroom with accountability, not shame. Schools using restorative practices have seen sharp declines in suspension rates.
2. Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS)
PBIS focuses on prevention—not punishment—and builds a proactive culture that sets clear expectations, rewards positive behavior, and supports students who struggle. It has been linked to fewer disruptions and better classroom climate.
3. Mental Health Support and Early-Warning Systems
Providing access to school counselors, social-emotional learning, and mental health professionals helps address root causes of misbehavior. Early interventions reduce the need for punitive responses.
4. Peer Mediation and Mentoring
Empower students to resolve conflicts among themselves or mentor younger peers. These programs boost leadership and promote responsibility without exclusion.
5. In-School Alternatives to OSS
Create supervised spaces for reflection and academic support. Assign students tasks that contribute to the school community rather than sending them home.
6. Partner with Families
Co-learning opportunities, such as parent-student workshops on impulse control or emotional regulation, help build trust and reinforce positive behavior both at home and in school.
Lead with Connection, Not Exclusion
Suspension has been viewed as a necessary disciplinary tool for decades — but the data no longer supports that view. In fact, it may be hurting the very learning outcomes schools are trying to protect.
As we rethink school discipline, it’s important to remember that more often than not, “trouble” students don’t need punishment, they just need a little extra help.
