Early Expulsion from School

Expulsion is the complete cessation of educational services without the benefit of alternative services provided by or through the educational program that has expelled the child. As Gilliam reports, “Expulsion is the most severe disciplinary sanction that an educational program can impose.” *

In Gilliam’s survey of 52 state-funded prekindergarten programs in 40 states, he found:

o The prekindergarten expulsion rate – 6.67 preschoolers per 1,000 enrolled – is 3.2 times higher than the rate for K-12 students. In 37 of the 40 states that fund prekindergarten programs, the expulsion rate was higher for preschoolers than for K-12 students. The expulsion rate is higher for older prekindergarteners, for boys, and for African American students.
o Expulsion and access to classroom-based mental health are significantly, negatively correlated. In other words, as access is increased, the expulsion rate declines. Given the complexity and wide variation across states of preschool programming, a causal association could not be inferred.
o Teachers in schools and Head Start centers were much less likely to expel students than teachers in faith-affiliated, for-profit child care, and other community-based settings. School-based teachers were less likely to expel students than Head Start teachers.

Moreover, state program size does not appear to be associated with expulsion rates.

* Gilliam, W. S. (2005, May). Prekindergarteners left behind: Expulsion rates in state prekindergarten systems. New Haven, CT: Yale University Child Study Center.
Retrieved May 20, 2005, from http://fcd-us.org/PDFs/NationalPreKExpulsionPaper03.02_new.pdf

Correspondence: Walter S. Gilliam, PhD, Assistant Professor of Child Psychiatry and Psychology, Yale University Child Study Center, 230 South Frontage Road, PO Box 207900, New Haven, CT 06520-7900; Phone: 203-785-3384; mailto:walter.gilliam@yale.edu.

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Page Updated: May 26, 2005