BREAKING THE CYCLE FROM EXCLUSION TO INCLUSION: USING RESTORATIVE APPROACHES TO MITIGATE DISCIPLINE INEQUITIES FOR BLACK STUDENTS

Abstract

This inquiry addressed the persistent problem of disproportionate discipline practices that resulted in Black elementary students receiving a higher number of office discipline referrals and exclusionary consequences than their peers. These inequities contributed to lost instructional time, negative perceptions of school climate, and reinforced patterns of marginalization for Black students. The inquiry was situated in a public magnet elementary school in a North Carolina district where discipline data mirrored national and state trends showing racial disparities in referrals, suspensions, and expulsions. Grounded in Critical Race Theory and improvement science, the study responded to growing concerns about the ineffectiveness of punitive, exclusionary discipline and the need for more equitable, relationship-centered approaches to student behavior. The purpose of this inquiry was to examine the impact of implementing restorative practices, supported through professional learning and Plan-Do-Study-Act improvement cycles, on reducing disproportionate discipline referrals for Black students while influencing teacher beliefs and leadership practices related to discipline. An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used, beginning with quantitative analysis of fourth-grade student discipline referral data and teacher belief survey responses, followed by qualitative data collection through post-implementation surveys, focus groups, and practitioner reflection. Participants included fourth-grade teachers and collaborative inquiry partners at the school and district levels who were engaged in professional learning and implementation of restorative practices over the course of the school year. Findings indicated a reduction in discipline referrals for Black students following the implementation of restorative practices, along with increased use of proactive and relational strategies by teachers. Qualitative data suggested positive shifts in teacher beliefs regarding student behavior, accountability, and the importance of relationship-building in addressing misconduct. These findings were significant because they demonstrated that restorative practices can disrupt exclusionary discipline patterns and promote more equitable outcomes for Black students. The results implied that school leaders and practitioners could use restorative approaches as a meaningful strategy to improve school climate, address implicit bias, and advance equity-centered discipline practices in elementary school settings.