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School discipline disparities within the U.S. P-12 public schooling system have been a staple issue for over four decades. The enforcement of out-of-school suspensions, in particular by inexperienced teachers, have traditionally impacted Black and Latinx students more than White students. Yet teachers are not the final decision-makers regarding student discipline which rests primarily on the shoulders of assistant principals and principals. While researchers have clearly linked teacher experience to discipline disparities, more research is needed to fully explicate the tenure of assistant principals; who often are the final decision-makers when it pertains to suspending a student. Utilizing human capital theory, this study examines school discipline data and North Carolina personnel data from the 2015–2016 school year to determine if assistant principals’ years of experience in the current role, and their years of experience as teachers could predict out-of-school suspensions by gender and race. The findings suggest that Black males’ suspension could be predicted by assistant principals’ years of experience as a teacher; and Latinx females’ suspensions could be predicted by assistant principals’ longevity in their current position and in their roles as classroom teachers. Interestingly, the findings illuminate that assistant principals are relatively inexperienced within the state, with most having less than one-year worth of experience in these positions.

This study examines differences in suicide-related behaviors between heterosexual and sexual minority youth in a southeastern state with exclusionary policies. Furthermore, it seeks to further knowledge regarding risk factors for suicide attempts among sexual minority high school students. Utilizing the 2017 Youth Risk Behavior Survey data, descriptive analysis tests, and logistic regression tests were conducted. Findings indicate that sexual minorities were three times as likely to experience suicidal thoughts and plans but four times as likely to attempt suicide. Risk factors were noted for sexual minority youth. Policy advocacy is recommended to decrease suicide-related behaviors among this population.

BackgroundSchool social workers are crucial in recommending alternative disciplinary practices to prevent suspensions and expulsions in schools (Cameron & Sheppard, 2006; National Association of Social Workers, 2013), particularly in urban school districts, which experience higher rates of discipline disproportionality between students of color and White students (Barrett, McEachin, Mills, & Valant, 2017).Objective/MethodsGrounded in an ecological systems perspective, the purpose of the study is to determine if the presence of a social worker predicts school suspensions by race and gender in an urban school district.FindingsKey findings show that the presence of school social workers has a negative relationship with school suspensions for students of color.ConclusionWe advocate for an increase in social worker representation in urban schools and strategic practices to address school discipline.

Systemic inequities in educational opportunities contribute to reduced economic mobility. Extensive research has documented disproportionality in gifted education at national and state levels. However, limited research examines inequities in gifted education within districts. Informed by critical systems theory (CST), this research provides an analysis of the Gifted Gap in a school district serving a growing metropolitan area with surprisingly limited economic mobility. Results reveal underrepresentation of students experiencing poverty, and Black and Latinx students of all socioeconomic groups in gifted education programs. Inequities in gifted education create systemic barriers including reduced enrollment in Advanced Placement (AP) courses, a factor that impedes college completion and participation in science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) research and innovation. Reducing gifted education disproportionality is a promising way to increase economic mobility and broaden participation in STEM.

Teachers experience a great deal of psychological distress. However, there is a gap in the literature concerning the difference between the distress of teachers working in urban schools versus those in non-urban schools. Thus, the present study utilizes data from the 2018 North Carolina Teacher Working Conditions Survey to conduct a statistical analysis of the agreeability differences between urban and non-urban teachers’ responses to constructs with implications for their psychological well-being. The results reveal some differences between urban teachers and non-urban teachers. Suggestions are offered to key stakeholders to better support the psychological well-being of teachers.