Ohio's school-to-prison pathway is fueled by 'exclusionary discipline' and school absenteeism • Ohio Capital Journal

“Student disengagement” caused by mental illness, disproportionate discipline and a lack of support in school contributes to Ohio’s high absenteeism rate, according to a new report from an Ohio think tank.

This absenteeism and the factors that contribute to it can represent “an entry point on the path from school to prison,” according to the report from Policy Matters Ohio, which released a new study on the topic this month.

“Psychological factors such as depression, anxiety and chronic stress reduce children's desire to go to school,” Policy Matters explained. “Trauma and violence exacerbate these problems and increase the likelihood that a student will become chronically absent. In Ohio, that means missing 10% of the school year for any reason, excused or unexcused.”

Chronic absenteeism feeds a “negative cycle” that can ultimately lead to juvenile delinquency, which disproportionately affects black students and economically disadvantaged families, the study says.

Analyzing state data, Policy Matters found that in 2022, only 23.2% of students “convicted or found guilty in the juvenile justice system” graduated.

“Young people who come into contact with the juvenile justice system face challenges that will stay with them throughout their lives,” wrote researcher Tanisha Pruitt, Ph.D. “They have greater difficulty accessing education, economic security, health care, and other opportunities that enable them to live healthier and happier lives.”

This disproportionately high proportion of students of color and students from low-income families is due to the relationships between school attendance, economic security and school resources, the study says.

“These are the unsurprising consequences of excluding communities from comprehensive public investment through segregation, redlining and the legacy of chronically unequal school funding,” Pruitt wrote.

“Exclusionary discipline,” including expulsions and suspensions, also contribute to absenteeism, impact juvenile justice, and lead to lower student achievement. These types of discipline are “often counterproductive because they cause excluded students to fall further behind their peers and increase the likelihood that they will drop out of school altogether,” the report says.

Using data from the Ohio Department of Education and Labor, Policy Matters found that more than 53% of the 394,582 cases of out-of-school disciplinary action between 2022 and 2023 were out-of-school suspensions. In-school suspensions accounted for 29%. Expulsion occurred in 1.13% of cases.

The study cites a discipline analysis conducted by the Children's Defense Fund of Ohio from 2022 to 2023 that found “significant racial disparities” in exclusionary disciplinary actions. It found that Black students are six times more likely to be suspended or expelled than white students and that Black students in the state are 4.3 times more likely to be suspended or expelled than their white peers.

“Despite increased oversight, potential consequences, and policy reforms at the state level, exclusionary disciplinary actions remain too frequent and disproportionately widespread,” Pruitt wrote in the report.

Pruitt mentioned the Supporting Alternatives for Fair Education Act of 2018, a bill that would change school discipline practices by banning expulsions and suspensions, but only for students in preschool through third grade. The law allowed an exception that allowed these types of discipline in those grades when the behavior threatened the safety of school staff or students.

However, for all students older than third grade, there were more disciplinary measures, including emergency expulsions and “alternative disciplinary measures” within the school.

Pruitt praised the law for requiring Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports (PBIS), which she said is part of a “restorative justice approach” that is “more effective than expulsion in promoting student success” and could be expanded in Ohio.

“Expanding the PBIS model and allocating resources to hire staff, implement programs, and establish necessary health services in schools would be a sure step toward securing the futures of more children and closing the school-to-prison pathway,” Pruitt wrote.

Other recommendations in the report focused on improving employment practices for parents to create manageable work hours and stronger bonds with their children, and called for the introduction of more refundable tax credits to help economically disadvantaged families and increased funding for staff and student support (including fully funding the Fair School Funding Plan for public schools).

“To meet (students' needs), schools need money,” the study says. “Children need more school counselors and nurses, more mental and behavioral health services, and a more holistic approach to education.”