Redefining School Discipline: Illinois and Other States’ Responses to Negative Impact

Minority students and students with disabilities are disciplined disproportionately from their peers. Discipline has led to many negative consequences in the lives of youth in the United States, including the school-to-prison pipeline. In 2014, the U.S. Department of Education issued guidance encouraging school districts to develop policies that seek alternatives to exclusionary penalties. Some states, including the State of Illinois, have been proactive in revamping the state’s discipline. In this paper, we will examine how the states are responding to the school-to-prison pipeline and the other negative effects of exclusions and suspensions.

Additionally, this paper will examine the implementation of Illinois Senate Bill 100, from an administrator’s point of view, to make recommendations for disciplinary strategies and possible policy revisions.