Sponsor
Portland State University. Department of Educational Leadership and Policy
First Advisor
Pat Burk
Term of Graduation
Spring 2022
Date of Publication
5-31-2022
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.) in Educational Leadership: Administration
Department
Educational Leadership and Policy
Language
English
Subjects
Discrimination in school discipline -- United States, Elementary school principals -- United States -- Attitudes, Middle school principals -- United States -- Attitudes, School management and organization -- United States
DOI
10.15760/etd.7895
Physical Description
1 online resource (vi, 164 pages)
Abstract
One of the persistent challenges in United States elementary schools is the ongoing use of exclusionary discipline practices. In Oregon, despite the application of a number of legal and policy shifts intended to reduce the use of suspension and expulsion in K-5 and K-8 schools, particularly for students of color, there continues to be an increase year-to-year of the number of students being excluded, the percentage of students excluded, and an increasingly disproportionate use of exclusion for students of color. Although the research shows that removing students from the learning environment does not improve student behavior nor improve overall school discipline and has a negative impact on academic achievement, the practice persists. This study sought to better understand the factors leading to the decisions of administrators during the disciplinary process that can lead to exclusionary discipline outcomes. Using a sequential, two-step qualitative approach, principals shared their perspectives in focus groups and individual interviews revealing the various pressures, from both within the school community and from outside, that they face when making discipline decisions. The results showed how multifaceted school discipline is and that a change in any one aspect of the discipline process is unlikely to produce a change in practices.
Rights
© 2022 William Jeremy Cohen
In Copyright. URI: http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ This Item is protected by copyright and/or related rights. You are free to use this Item in any way that is permitted by the copyright and related rights legislation that applies to your use. For other uses you need to obtain permission from the rights-holder(s).
Persistent Identifier
https://archives.pdx.edu/ds/psu/37959
Recommended Citation
Cohen, William Jeremy, "Must Be Present to Win: Principals' Perspectives on Exclusionary Discipline" (2022). Dissertations and Theses. Paper 6024.
https://doi.org/10.15760/etd.7895
Included in
Educational Leadership Commons, Elementary and Middle and Secondary Education Administration Commons