Date of Conferral
5-22-2024
Date of Award
May 2024
Degree
Doctor of Education (Ed.D.)
School
Education
Advisor
Suzanne O’Neill
Abstract
Discipline disproportionality among African American students with disabilities is well documented in empirical research; however, there are limited studies about school administrators' perspectives on practices leading to disproportionality for this population. The purpose of this study was to examine school administrators' perspectives on practices and issues leading to discipline disproportionality in a large southeastern U.S. state. Social justice leadership, coupled with disability studies and critical race theory, served as the conceptual framework. A basic qualitative design with open coding and thematic analysis was used to answer the three research questions. Data were collected via virtual semistructured interviews with six administrators who work in a school district with or without discipline disproportionality. Interviews were audio recorded and transcribed. The following themes emerged: (a) absence of mechanisms for building relationships with students and parents; (b) lack of cultural understanding and knowledge of different ethnicities and backgrounds; (c) the need for training for administrators, teachers, and school staff; (d) inconsistent implementation of individualized education programs and behavior plans; (e) limited proactive student support to address students' social and emotional needs; (f) exclusionary practices; (g) restorative practices as an alternative to suspension; (h) the need for disciplinary consequences that are equitable and individualized; and (i) the ineffectiveness of zero-tolerance policies for some students with disabilities. This study may promote positive social change by offering school district leaders strategies for increasing equity in discipline practices through alternatives to suspension and the development of policies and procedures to lessen the discipline gap among African American students with disabilities.
Recommended Citation
Goodman-Lee, Delicia, "Perspectives of Administrators on Practices Leading to Discipline Disproportionality Among African American Students with Disabilities" (2024). Walden Dissertations and Doctoral Studies. 15832.
https://scholarworks.waldenu.edu/dissertations/15832
