Date of Conferral

7-30-2025

Degree

Ph.D.

School

Criminal Justice

Advisor

Lois Woods

Abstract

Zero tolerance school discipline policies, originally intended to address serious threats such as weapon and drug possession, have increasingly been applied to minor behavioral infractions, disproportionately affecting African American students, particularly females. These exclusionary practices, including school-based arrests, have been linked to adverse educational outcomes. The purpose of this quantitative correlational study was to examine associations between school-based arrests due to zero tolerance policy violations and high school graduation status of African American female students in Florida. The study was guided by the intersectionality theory, which posits individuals who belong to multiple marginalized groups experience compounded forms of discrimination. Archival data from the Florida State University and Florida Department of Juvenile Justice Research Partnership Project were analyzed using logistic regression to assess whether associations existed between school-based arrests and graduation status. The sample consisted of 1,274 participants. Analysis revealed no statistically significant association between school-based arrests and high school graduation status (p = 0.067). Although the hypothesis was not supported, the estimated odds ratio revealed experiencing school-based arrests reduced the likelihood of participants graduating from high school by 30%. These findings contribute to the limited body of research on African American female students and school discipline. Implications for social change include encouraging educators and policymakers to reevaluate use of exclusionary discipline practices and explore more equitable approaches that foster academic engagement and long-term student success, especially for marginalized student populations.

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