From The Burbank Leader:
Lower number of suspensions and expulsions follows statewide trend.
January 31, 2014|By Kelly Corrigan, kelly.corrigan@latimes.com
“Burbank Unified school district is falling in line with a growing state trend that has seen student suspensions decline over the past school year compared to the year prior, according to data released this week by state officials.
There were 246 fewer suspensions in Burbank schools in 2012-13 compared to 2011-12, the most recent years for which extensive data is available.
While there were 948 suspensions across Burbank Unified in 2012-13, there were 1,194 the year before.
There were also five fewer expulsions during the last academic year, compared to the year prior when there were 16.
Statewide, expulsions decreased by about 12% from more than 9,700 in 2011-12 to about 8,500 in 2012-13. Suspensions dropped across California from 709,596 in 2011-12 to 609,471 in 2012-13.
Even with the statewide decrease in suspensions and expulsions, state officials found disparities among students.
While black students make up 6.3% of the state’s total enrollment, the group made up 16% of suspensions. Latino students make up more than 52% of total enrollment and nearly 55% of suspensions, according to state officials.
Meanwhile, white, non-Latino students make up 25.5% of total state enrollment, but were tied to nearly 21% of suspensions.”
Read the rest here.
