Growing numbers of suspensions and expulsions of students with disabilities (SWDs) have prompted school districts to explore nonpunitive alternatives to traditional suspension practices. The study school district implemented nonpunitive alternatives to suspension for SWDs, specifically students classified as emotionally disturbed (ED). SWDs are being suspended at a higher rate than their general education peers for the same violation. The purpose of this causal-comparative study was to examine differences in academic performance between students with emotional disabilities who received out of school suspensions and those who received nonpunitive consequences other than suspension for the same violation. To understand disruptive behavior, social learning theory provided the framework for this study. The sample included 20 high school students, grades 9-12, who were SWD eligible under the criteria of ED. Archival data included academic records, attendance records, and suspension records. To compare the means of the data, independent-samples t tests were used to analyze differences in grade point average between the groups. The results found that with nonpunitive alternatives, student attendance was improved; however, there was no significant difference found in academic performance between students who received nonpunitive consequences and those who received out of school suspension. Statistical power was limited due to the study sample size. Positive social change implications include providing initial research findings to the study school district and initiating the dialogue on reducing suspensions of SWDs to improve attendance, which may increase the potential for future academic success.

Black and Hispanic students in the United States are suspended at a higher rate and lag behind White students academically. This project study examined student achievement and behavior in an alternative to suspension (ATS) program at a Midwest U.S. high school. The purpose of this mixed methods, concurrent embedded strategy study was to determine if participation in the ATS program decreased disciplinary referrals and improved student performance. This study was guided by social control theory, which suggests that when students are disengaged in the school environment, student/teacher and peer relationships are damaged and students turn toward delinquent behavior. The study sample included 22 students who were referred to the program in 2012-2013, 12 of whom attended the ATS program and 10 (the control) who did not. Quantitative data were analyzed through chi-square analysis, nonparametric Mann-Whitney U and independent t test, and qualitative data were analyzed for emerging themes. The quantitative results showed no significant relationships between student participation in the ATS program, the number of referrals received, and academic performance, and no significant difference in referrals by ethnicity. The qualitative analysis showed six themes describing the program's structural aspects: program structure, goals and vision, parental involvement, staff support, student gains in behavioral and social skills, and collaborative elements. A curriculum plan was created to proactively support 9th graders as they enter high school. These results and the curriculum plan promote positive social change by informing school personnel of the benefits of being proactive in addressing student achievement and discipline through support programs and other interventions, increasing the graduation rate and reducing the current school-to-prison pipeline.

The purpose of this phenomenological study was to examine the perceptions of the use of alternatives to suspension of high school administrators in Virginia urban public schools. The phenomenological research design allowed better understanding of the participant’s view and perception of their use of alternatives to suspension. While there is research focusing on the use of alternatives to suspension, there has been little research in Virginia urban public schools on the perceptions of administrators on the use of alternatives to suspension. The framework this research study utilized to focus the data analysis was Social Learning Theory. Data collection strategies included individual, semi-structured interviews, and document review. Analysis of data occurred in three phases: (a) open and axial coding themes from participant responses during interviews, (b) analysis of field notes, and (c) re-examination of the data. The analysis of the phenomenological study was based on the theoretical proposition that the perception of the person assigning the consequence after an incident influences the impact, change, and outcome. The credibility of the analysis was protected by triangulation of data through the coding of interviews and member checking. The results revealed four categories emerged to include: (1) knowledge and awareness of alternatives to suspension, (2) perceived effectiveness and impact, (3) implementation challenges and barriers, and (4) policy and legal considerations. Based on the research, recommendations were made for professional practice to support and improve the responses to student behavior by administrators in urban Virginia public schools.