The Perspectives of Principals on the Discipline Disproportionality of Black Students with Disabilities - Case Study Research

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca

The study examines how principals view discipline disproportionality affecting Black students with disabilities in the Maple Cove School District. A qualitative case study design draws on disciplinary records to confirm disproportionality and analyze Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs), exclusionary categories, and patterns across students with and without disabilities. Interviews with building-level administrators are open coded to identify themes, clarify drivers of inequitable discipline, and inform ideas for addressing those inequities.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResearch & Report

FormatPDF

Pages18

Reading Time45 min

AccessFree to download

Introduction and Problem Context

Methods and Data Sources

Principals’ Authority and Discipline Decisions

Federal Policy Context (OCR and IDEA)

State Policy Context (Arkansas Act 1059)

Implications for Equity and Instructional Loss

The Perspectives of Principals on the Discipline Disproportionality of Black Students with Disabilities Wanda L. Van Dyke University of Arkansas Fayetteville John C. Pijanowski University of Arkansas Fayetteville Kara Lasater University of Arkansas Fayetteville Christy Smith University of Arkansas Fayetteville Black students with disabilities in Maple Cove School District were three times more likely to lose instructional days due to exclusionary disciplinary action than their peers without disabilities. A qualitative inquiry approach, in the form of a case study was used to determine principals’perspectives about factors that may impact discipline disproportionality. Student disciplinary records were examined to verify disproportionality and investigate patterns and categories related to students with and without disabilities being issued Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs). Interviews were conducted with building level administrators (principals and assistant principals) and their responses recorded and open coded to determine themes and develop ideas about how to address the inequities in how students are disciplined. Keywords: discipline, disproportionality, educational leadership, special education, disability. Education Leadership Review of Doctoral Research, Volume 10, Fall 2022 122 Black students with disabilities in Maple Cove School District lost three times as many instruction days due to exclusionary disciplinary practices than their non-disabled peers from 2017-2019. This data is consistent with trends found throughout the state of Arkansas. Since the mid 1970s, research has noted that Black students have seen higher rates of exclusionary practices such as out-of-school suspension and expulsion, than any other group of students (Losen & Gillespie, 2012; Skiba et al., 2009) . Black students with disabilities are at an even greater risk of experiencing exclusionary practices than their White peers (Losen & Gillespie, 2012; Skiba et al., 2009) . This cycle of removal has been identified as a leading factor to promoting the school to prison pipeline (Williams, 2016) . When students with disabilities are removed from the classroom, they miss valuable academic and behavioral instruction. Loss of instruction not only creates wider achievement gaps, but it also causes students to lose out on learning behavioral strategies that could assist them in being more successful in the classroom and in life. With a few exceptions (possession of a gun, drugs, and violence), principals have the authority to determine consequences for student misbehaviors and there is an expectation that they use this authority to “create environments in schools where children are treated fairly in the ways they directly interface with the school”(Pijanowski and Brady, 2020, p. 11) . Historically, less than 5% of exclusionary practices are related to violence or student safety (Skiba, 2008) . Most behaviors that result in exclusionary practices are attributed to noisemaking, tardiness or insubordination. Based upon the teacher’s perception of student behavior or the student’s violation of school behavior conduct policies, teachers assign an Office Discipline Referral (ODR) . While principals take into consideration the information provided to them through ODRs, they have the sole responsibility of issuing In-School Suspension (ISS), Out of School Suspension (OSS) or making a recommendation for expulsion. This means that building level principals have a tremendous influence on impacting discipline disproportionality through their own decisions and as leaders of teachers. Federal Policy Context In 2016, the recognition of growing disproportionality led to federal guidance from the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) through the Dear Collogue Letter: Preventing Racial Discrimination in Special Education,(OCR, 2016), for schools receiving federal funding. This guidance called for states to review their practices and set specificati

FAQs

What does the study investigate about Black students with disabilities?

It investigates discipline disproportionality, specifically how often Black students with disabilities are subjected to exclusionary disciplinary actions compared with peers without disabilities.

How does the study verify and analyze disproportionality?

It examines student disciplinary records to confirm disproportionality and to identify patterns and categories related to Office Discipline Referrals (ODRs) for students with and without disabilities.

How are principals’ perspectives gathered and analyzed?

Building-level administrators are interviewed (principals and assistant principals). Their responses are recorded and open coded to develop themes and generate ideas for addressing inequities in student discipline.

Oct 15, 2026

Uploaded by acoobca