The Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Expulsion: Exploring Expulsion Rates in Early Education settings

Eastin, S. (Shiloh)¹, Calcagno, B. (Briana)¹, Giordano, K. (Keri)
¹Kean University

 

Submission type

Oral only

Scheduled

Room 116, 10-07-2019, 13:30 - 15:00

Keywords

early education, preschool, challenging behaviors, social skills

Summary

Within the United States, preschool expulsion rates exceed that of all other ages. There are many reasons as to why an early learning center might choose to dismiss a learner but this process varies greatly between early learning centers. This is a very different experience from what a learner's education will look like later in the education process. As early learning centers are not governed by the same government bodies as the school systems, the expectations for learning, developmental progress and social skills differs greatly. In particiular, supports for learners with challenging behavior or social skills deficits are limited and not well-utilized. Early learning centers are often overworked and understaffed which leaves little available resources within early education for learners who require more specialized teaching and support. This results in the learners most in need of support often being deprived of it. The current study examined expulsion rates within the state of New Jersey, a state with a highly stratified and diverse population. 2,323 early education programs received an invitation to participate.  Participants were asked to take a survey describin their current policies, procedures, and beliefs around expulsion practices in early learning programs in the state.  Representatives from 368 programs participated. Data was analyzed using linear models. The findings and broader implications will be discussed and contextualized.

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