U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 1

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014 

 U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights

CIVIL RIGHTS DATA COLLECTION

Data Snapshot: School Discipline

Issue Brief No. 1 (March 2014)

For other data snapshots in the series, visit the CRDC at: www.ocrdata.ed.gov

INSIDE THIS SNAPSHOT: School Discipline, Restraint, & Seclusion Highlights

• Suspension of preschool children, by race/ethnicity and gender (new for 2011-2012 collection): Black 

children represent 18% of preschool enrollment, but 48% of preschool children receiving more than one out-ofschool suspension; in comparison, white students represent 43% of preschool enrollment but 26% of preschool 

children receiving more than one out of school suspension. Boys represent 79% of preschool children 

suspended once and 82% of preschool children suspended multiple times, although boys represent 54% of 

preschool enrollment.

• Disproportionately high suspension/expulsion rates for students of color: Black students are suspended 

and expelled at a rate three times greater than white students. On average, 5% of white students are suspended, 

compared to 16% of black students. American Indian and Native-Alaskan students are also disproportionately 

suspended and expelled, representing less than 1% of the student population but 2% of out-of-school 

suspensions and 3% of expulsions.

• Disproportionate suspensions of girls of color: While boys receive more than two out of three suspensions, 

black girls are suspended at higher rates (12%) than girls of any other race or ethnicity and most boys; 

American Indian and Native-Alaskan girls (7%) are suspended at higher rates than white boys (6%) or girls

(2%).

• Suspension of students with disabilities and English learners: Students with disabilities are more than 

twice as likely to receive an out-of-school suspension (13%) than students without disabilities (6%). In 

contrast, English learners do not receive out-of-school suspensions at disproportionately high rates (7%

suspension rate, compared to 10% of student enrollment). 

• Suspension rates, by race, sex, and disability status combined: With the exception of Latino and AsianAmerican students, more than one out of four boys of color with disabilities (served by IDEA) — and nearly one 

in five girls of color with disabilities — receives an out-of-school suspension. 

• Arrests and referrals to law enforcement, by race and disability status: While black students represent 

16% of student enrollment, they represent 27% of students referred to law enforcement and 31% of students 

subjected to a school-related arrest. In comparison, white students represent 51% of enrollment, 41% of 

students referred to law enforcement, and 39% of those arrested. Students with disabilities (served by IDEA) 

represent a quarter of students arrested and referred to law enforcement, even though they are only 12% of the

overall student population.

• Restraint and seclusion, by disability status and race: Students with disabilities (served by IDEA) represent 

12% of the student population, but 58% of those placed in seclusion or involuntary confinement, and 75% of 

those physically restrained at school to immobilize them or reduce their ability to move freely. Black students 

represent 19% of students with disabilities served by IDEA, but 36% of these students who are restrained at 

school through the use of a mechanical device or equipment designed to restrict their freedom of movement.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 2 

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

SCHOOL DISCIPLINE 

The Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) reveals that students of certain racial or ethnic groups and students 

with disabilities are disciplined at far higher rates than their peers, beginning in preschool. The CRDC data 

also show that an increasing number of students are losing important instructional time due to exclusionary 

discipline. 

Rates of suspension and expulsion, by race/ethnicity

Black students represent 16% of the student population, but 32-42% of students suspended or expelled. 

In comparison, white students also represent a similar range of between 31-40% of students suspended 

or expelled, but they are 51% of the student population. 

NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Totals: Enrollment is 49 million students, in-school suspension is 3.5 million 

students, single out-of-school suspension is 1.9 million students, multiple out-of-school suspension is 1.55 million students, and 

expulsion is 130,000 students. Data reported in this figure represents 99% of responding schools.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 3 

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

Out-of-school suspensions, by race/ethnicity and gender 

Black students are suspended and expelled at a rate three times greater than white students. On average, 

4.6% of white students are suspended, compared to 16.4% of black students. Through CRDC data, we 

can also explore suspensions by race and gender. Black boys and girls have higher suspension rates than 

any of their peers. Twenty percent (20%) of black boys and more than 12% of black girls receive an outof-school suspension. 

 

Students with disabilities suspended out-of-school

Students with disabilities served by IDEA are more than twice as likely to receive one or more out-ofschool suspension as students without disabilities. 

NOTE: Data reflects 99% of CRDC schools and a total of 290,000 American Indian/Alaska Native females, 300,000 American 

Indian/Alaska Native males, 1.1 million Asian males, 1.2 million Asian females, 120,000 Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander 

males and females, 3.7 million black females, 3.8 million black males, 5.6 million Hispanic females, 5.9 million Hispanic males, 

630,000 males of two or more races, 640,000 females of two or more races, 12 million white males, and 12 million white 

females. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.

NOTE: Data reflects 99% of CRDC schools, including 

43.5 million students without disabilities and 6 million 

students with disabilities.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for 

Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 4 

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

Students with disabilities suspended out-of-school, by race/ethnicity and gender

Latino and Asian-American students with disabilities are suspended at significant but comparatively low 

rates (17% and 10% for Latino boys and girls, and 10% and 6% for Asian-American boys and girls, 

respectively). They are the exception to the rule applicable to other boys of color with disabilities, more 

than one out of four of whom receives an out-of-school suspension. Similarly, nearly one in five girls of 

color with disabilities receives an out-of-school suspension. 

English learners do not 

disproportionately receive out-ofschool suspensions 

English learners represent 10% of overall 

enrollment, but a smaller percentage of 

students receiving out-of-school suspensions 

(7%). 

NOTE: Data reflects 98.9% of CRDC schools. Totals include 40,000 male and 19,000 female student who are American 

Indian/Native Alaskan, 71,000 male and 25,000 female students who are Asian, 11,000 male and 4,000 female students who 

are Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 750,000 male and 355,000 female students who are black, 840,000 male and 

410,000 female students who are Latino, 69,000 male and 25,000 female students who are of two or more races, 2.1 million 

male and 1.1 million female students who are white. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.

NOTE: Data reflects 99% of CRDC schools, including 45 million 

students who are not LEP and 4.7 million students who are LEP.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil 

Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 5 

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

Suspensions and expulsions, by gender

While boys and girls each represent about half of the student population, boys represent nearly three out 

of four of those suspended multiple times out of school and expelled. 

NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Totals: Enrollment is 49 million students, in-school suspension 

is 3.5 million students, single out-of-school suspension is 1.9 million students, multiple out-of-school suspension is 

1.55 million students, and expulsions are 130,000 students. Data reported in this figure represents 99% of 

responding schools.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 6 

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

Arrests and referrals to law enforcement, by race/ethnicity 

Black students represent 16% of student enrollment, 27% of students referred to law enforcement, and 

31% of students subjected to a school-related arrest. In comparison, white students represent 51% of 

students enrolled, 41% of referrals to law enforcement, and 39% of those subjected to school-related 

arrests.

. 

NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Totals are 49 million students for overall enrollment, 

260,000 students referred to law enforcement, and 92,000 students subject to school-related arrests. 

Data on referrals to law enforcement represents 98% of schools and data on school related arrests 

represents 94% of schools in the CRDC universe.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011–12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 7 

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

Arrests and referrals to law enforcement, by disability (IDEA) status 

Students with disabilities represent a quarter of the students who are referred to law enforcement or 

subjected to school related arrests, while representing just 12% of the student population.

Preschool discipline

The inclusion for the first time in the 

CRDC of preschool data confirms that 

discipline begins in the earliest years 

of schooling. Of the school districts 

with children participating in 

preschool programs, 6% reported 

suspending out of school at least one 

preschool child. Racial disparities in 

out-of-school suspensions also start 

early; black children represent 18% 

of preschool enrollment, but 42% of 

the preschool children suspended 

once, and 48% of the preschool 

children suspended more than once.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Totals are 49 

million students for overall enrollment, 260,000 students referred 

to law enforcement, and 92,000 students subject to school-related 

arrests. Data on referrals to law enforcement represents 98% of 

schools and data on school related arrests represents 94% of 

schools in the CRDC universe. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, 

Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figure reflects 99% of schools offering preschool, including 

over 1 million preschool students, nearly 5,000 students suspended once, and over 2,500 students suspended 

more than once. Preschool suspensions and expulsions were collected for the first time in 2011–12.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011–12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 8 

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

The CRDC reveals that children with disabilities served by IDEA and English learners were not 

disproportionately suspended in preschool. 

Preschool children receiving out-of-school suspensions, by disability status

Preschool children receiving suspensions, by English learner status 

NOTE: Preschool suspensions were collected for the first time in 2011-12. Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Represents 99% of 

schools with preschool students enrolled, including over 1 million preschool students.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011–12.

NOTE: Preschool suspensions were collected for the first time in 2011–12. Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Represents 99% of 

schools with preschool students enrolled.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011–12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 9 

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

RESTRAINT AND SECLUSION 

The CDRC reveals that students with disabilities are subject to physical and mechanical restraint and 

seclusion at rates that far exceed that of other students, and black students with disabilities are subject to 

mechanical restraints at even higher rates than other students with disabilities. Mechanical restraint is the 

use of any device or equipment to restrict a student’s freedom of movement. Physical restraint is a personal 

restriction that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a student to move his or her torso, arms, legs, or head 

freely. Seclusion is the involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area that the student is 

physically prevented from leaving.

Physical restraint of students with disabilities

Students with disabilities served by IDEA represent 12% of students enrolled in public schools, but 75% 

of the students who are subjected to physical restraint during school. 

Seclusion of students with 

disabilities

Students with disabilities served by IDEA 

represent 12% of all students and 58% of 

students subjected to seclusion in school. 

NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figure 

represents 99% of schools, including 49.7 million students 

enrolled and over 70,000 students subjected to physical 

restraint.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil 

Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.

NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figure 

represents 99% of schools, including 49.7 million students 

enrolled and over 37,000 students subject to seclusion.

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil 

Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 10

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline) 

March 21, 2014

Mechanical restraint of students of color with disabilities

Black students represent 19% of students with disabilities served by IDEA, but 36% of these students 

who are subject to mechanical restraint. 

NOTE: Detail may not sum to 100% due to rounding. Figure represents 99% of CRDC responding schools, including 

6 million students served by IDEA and nearly 4,000 IDEA students subject to mechanical restraint. 

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 11

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

DISCIPLINE, RESTRAINT, AND SECLUSION: 

STATE-BY-STATE

For the first time since 2000, the 2011-12 CRDC included every public school and district in the nation, 

allowing more accurate depictions of statewide trends and inter-state disparities. The following tables 

provide state-level data on indicators related to out-of-school suspensions and physical restraint. Here 

are some highlights:

Out-of-school suspensions 

Black and Latino students: 

 Three (3) states reported male suspension rates less than the nation for every racial/ethnic 

group and a smaller gap between black students and their white peers: New Jersey, New York,

and North Dakota

 Five (5) states reported male suspension rates higher than the nation for every racial/ethnic 

group: Florida, Indiana, North Carolina, Rhode Island, and South Carolina. 

 Eleven (11) states (and D.C.) reported higher gaps than the nation between the suspension rates 

of black students and white students for both boys and girls: Arkansas, District of Columbia, 

Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Missouri, Nebraska, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, and Wisconsin.

Students with disabilities (served by IDEA):

 Five (5) states reported a four percentage point or smaller gap in out-of-school suspension 

rates between students with disabilities served by IDEA and students without disabilities: 

North Dakota, (2%), Utah (3%), Idaho (4%), Mississippi (4%), and Wyoming (4%). 

 Five (5) states (and D.C.) reported a ten percentage point or higher gap in out-of-school 

suspension rates between students with disabilities served by IDEA and students without 

disabilities: Florida (15%), Nevada (14%), District of Columbia (13%), Wisconsin (11%), and 

Louisiana (10%). 

Physical restraint

Students with disabilities (served by IDEA) and physical restraint:

 Across the nation, 75% of students subjected to physical restraint were classified as students 

with disabilities served by IDEA. Twenty-five (25) states had higher percentages than the 

national average. 

 In Nevada, Florida, and Wyoming, students with disabilities served by IDEA represent less than 

15% of students enrolled in the state, but more than 90% of the students who were physically 

restrained in the state. Nevada (96%), Florida (95%), and Wyoming (93%) reported the highest 

percentages of physically retrained students with disabilities by IDEA. 

 Three (3) states had fewer than 50% of students subjected to physical restraint classified as 

students with disabilities served by IDEA. Those states were: Mississippi (40%), Arkansas 

(41%), and Louisiana (43%). 
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 12

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

Table 1-A. Out-of-school suspensions of male students by race/ethnicity, 

disability, and state: 2011-12

State

American 

Indian/ 

Alaska 

Native 

Asian Native 

Hawaiian/ 

Other 

Pacific 

Islander 

Black/African

American

Hispanic/ 

Latino of 

any race

Two or 

more 

races

White

UNITED STATES 13% 3% 7% 20% 9% 11% 6%

Alabama 11% 4% 7% 22% 7% 13% 8%

Alaska 13% 4% 11% 15% 8% 8% 6%

Arizona 15% 5% 10% 19% 10% 16% 7%

Arkansas 8% 5% 11% 24% 8% 8% 8%

California 17% 4% 11% 21% 9% 9% 8%

Colorado 16% 5% 8% 17% 10% 11% 6%

Connecticut 10% 2% 8% 16% 11% 9% 3%

Delaware 12% 5% 12% 24% 13% 16% 9%

District Of Columbia 1% 3% 0% 21% 8% 4% 2%

Florida 17% 4% 10% 26% 16% 19% 12%

Georgia 12% 4% 9% 19% 8% 13% 7%

Hawaii ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

Idaho 11% 3% 8% 14% 7% 6% 5%

Illinois 9% 2% 7% 19% 7% 10% 5%

Indiana 14% 5% 8% 27% 11% 17% 8%

Iowa 9% 3% 7% 21% 8% 11% 4%

Kansas 10% 4% 5% 18% 7% 9% 4%

Kentucky 7% 3% 3% 18% 7% 11% 7%

Louisiana 16% 5% 11% 18% 10% 15% 9%

Maine 10% 4% 3% 15% 11% 9% 6%

Maryland 11% 2% 3% 12% 5% 9% 6%

Massachusetts 16% 3% 6% 16% 12% 14% 5%

Michigan 15% 4% 6% 26% 12% 13% 8%

Minnesota 16% 3% 4% 19% 8% 9% 4%

Mississippi 9% 6% 41% 20% 8% 7% 8%

Missouri 13% 5% 7% 27% 10% 14% 7%
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 13

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

State

American 

Indian/ 

Alaska 

Native 

Asian Native 

Hawaiian/ 

Other 

Pacific 

Islander 

Black/African

American

Hispanic/ 

Latino of 

any race

Two or 

more 

races

White

Montana 18% 5% 6% 13% 10% 7% 5%

Nebraska 14% 5% 4% 24% 8% 10% 5%

Nevada 15% 4% 9% 18% 8% 9% 7%

New Hampshire 7% 5% 3% 23% 12% 6% 8%

New Jersey 7% 2% 5% 15% 8% 7% 4%

New Mexico 12% 6% 5% 18% 11% 13% 8%

New York 8% 1% 2% 9% 4% 8% 5%

North Carolina 19% 4% 9% 23% 11% 17% 8%

North Dakota 9% 1% 2% 6% 5% 2% 2%

Ohio 11% 4% 8% 24% 12% 16% 7%

Oklahoma 8% 4% 9% 24% 10% 6% 7%

Oregon 16% 4% 11% 20% 9% 12% 7%

Pennsylvania 7% 3% 5% 22% 14% 14% 5%

Rhode Island 26% 11% 14% 23% 17% 14% 9%

South Carolina 16% 6% 12% 22% 10% 16% 9%

South Dakota 15% 5% 3% 13% 9% 9% 4%

Tennessee 11% 5% 5% 25% 9% 11% 6%

Texas 8% 2% 7% 18% 8% 10% 5%

Utah 10% 4% 7% 14% 6% 6% 3%

Vermont 16% 2% 4% 15% 11% 8% 7%

Virginia 14% 2% 8% 19% 7% 11% 7%

Washington 18% 4% 14% 18% 10% 12% 7%

West Virginia 7% 5% 7% 24% 13% 13% 11%

Wisconsin 15% 3% 5% 32% 10% 13% 4%

Wyoming 11% 3% 1% 14% 8% 10% 5%

‡ Hawaii provided limited data on students without disabilities suspended out-of-school

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 14

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

Table 1-B. Out-of-school suspensions of female students by race/ethnicity, 

disability, and state: 2011-12

State

American 

Indian/ 

Alaska 

Native 

Asian Native 

Hawaiian/ 

Other Pacific 

Islander

Black /

African 

American

Hispanic/ 

Latino of 

any race

Two or 

more 

races

White

UNITED STATES 7% 1% 3% 12% 4% 5% 2%

Alabama 5% 2% 4% 13% 3% 5% 3%

Alaska 6% 1% 5% 7% 4% 4% 2%

Arizona 8% 2% 5% 9% 4% 5% 3%

Arkansas 3% 1% 5% 14% 3% 4% 3%

California 8% 1% 5% 11% 4% 4% 3%

Colorado 8% 2% 5% 9% 4% 4% 2%

Connecticut 6% 1% 4% 10% 7% 5% 1%

Delaware 6% 2% 6% 14% 6% 6% 4%

District Of Columbia 2% 2% 4% 13% 3% 4% 1%

Florida 8% 1% 5% 14% 6% 8% 4%

Georgia 6% 1% 6% 10% 4% 6% 2%

Hawaii ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡ ‡

Idaho 4% 1% 3% 3% 3% 3% 2%

Illinois 6% 1% 2% 13% 4% 5% 2%

Indiana 6% 1% 5% 16% 5% 8% 3%

Iowa 5% 1% 3% 12% 5% 5% 2%

Kansas 4% 1% 1% 10% 3% 4% 2%

Kentucky 5% 1% 1% 10% 3% 6% 3%

Louisiana 8% 1% 1% 11% 4% 5% 3%

Maine 5% 1% 2% 5% 6% 5% 2%

Maryland 5% 1% 1% 7% 3% 5% 2%

Massachusetts 6% 1% 2% 8% 7% 7% 2%

Michigan 8% 2% 3% 16% 6% 7% 3%

Minnesota 10% 1% 2% 10% 4% 4% 1%

Mississippi 3% 1% 22% 11% 3% 5% 3%

Missouri 7% 2% 4% 16% 4% 6% 2%
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 15

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

State

American 

Indian/ 

Alaska 

Native 

Asian Native 

Hawaiian/ 

Other Pacific 

Islander

Black /

African 

American

Hispanic/ 

Latino of 

any race

Two or 

more 

races

White

Montana 8% 1% 2% 4% 3% 3% 2%

Nebraska 8% 2% 4% 15% 3% 5% 2%

Nevada 8% 1% 5% 9% 4% 4% 2%

New Hampshire 4% 1% 2% 10% 5% 3% 3%

New Jersey 4% 1% 2% 9% 4% 3% 2%

New Mexico 6% 2% 1% 10% 6% 7% 3%

New York 5% 0.3% 1% 5% 2% 4% 2%

North Carolina 9% 1% 4% 12% 4% 8% 3%

North Dakota 6% 0.0% 5% 1% 2% 0.0% 1%

Ohio 5% 1% 6% 14% 6% 8% 3%

Oklahoma 4% 2% 4% 13% 4% 3% 3%

Oregon 7% 1% 4% 10% 4% 4% 3%

Pennsylvania 5% 1% 3% 13% 7% 6% 2%

Rhode Island 17% 3% 7% 13% 9% 9% 4%

South Carolina 10% 2% 6% 13% 4% 8% 4%

South Dakota 9% 2% 2% 7% 4% 3% 1%

Tennessee 5% 2% 4% 15% 3% 4% 3%

Texas 4% 1% 3% 10% 3% 4% 2%

Utah 5% 1% 3% 5% 3% 2% 1%

Vermont 8% 0.5% 3% 6% 6% 3% 3%

Virginia 5% 1% 3% 10% 3% 5% 3%

Washington 9% 1% 6% 9% 4% 5% 3%

West Virginia 4% 2% 2% 14% 4% 6% 5%

Wisconsin 8% 1% 2% 21% 4% 6% 2%

Wyoming 5% 1% 1% 7% 4% 5% 2%

‡ Hawaii provided limited data on students without disabilities suspended out-of-school

SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 16

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

Table 2. Out-of-school suspensions, by disability (IDEA) status and state: 2011-12

State

What percent of students without 

disabilities (non-IDEA) were suspended 

out-of-school?

What percent of students

with disabilities (IDEA)

were suspended out-ofschool?

UNITED STATES 6% 13%

Alabama 9% 14%

Alaska 5% 11%

Arizona 6% 13%

Arkansas 8% 13%

California 5% 13%

Colorado 5% 12%

Connecticut 4% 12%

Delaware 9% 18%

District Of Columbia 12% 25%

Florida 10% 25%

Georgia 8% 15%

Hawaii ‡ ‡

Idaho 3% 7%

Illinois 6% 11%

Indiana 7% 14%

Iowa 3% 10%

Kansas 4% 9%

Kentucky 5% 10%

Louisiana 9% 19%

Maine 4% 10%

Maryland 5% 14%

Massachusetts 4% 11%

Michigan 8% 16%

Minnesota 3% 10%

Mississippi 10% 14%

Missouri 7% 13%
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 17

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

State

What percent of students without 

disabilities (non-IDEA) were suspended 

out-of-school?

What percent of students

with disabilities (IDEA)

were suspended out-ofschool?

Montana 4% 12%

Nebraska 4% 11%

Nevada 5% 18%

New Hampshire 5% 12%

New Jersey 4% 10%

New Mexico 7% 12%

New York 3% 8%

North Carolina 8% 17%

North Dakota 2% 4%

Ohio 6% 14%

Oklahoma 6% 12%

Oregon 5% 12%

Pennsylvania 6% 11%

Rhode Island 8% 17%

South Carolina 10% 18%

South Dakota 3% 9%

Tennessee 8% 12%

Texas 5% 13%

Utah 2% 5%

Vermont 4% 11%

Virginia 6% 14%

Washington 5% 14%

West Virginia 8% 13%

Wisconsin 4% 15%

Wyoming 4% 8%

 ‡ Hawaii provided limited data on students without disabilities suspended out-of-school

 SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 18

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

Table 3. Students subject to physical restraint, by disability (IDEA) status and 

state: 2011-12

State

Of the students enrolled, what 

percent are served by IDEA?

Of the students subject to physical 

restraint, what percent are served by IDEA?

UNITED STATES 12% 75%

Alabama 12% 72%

Alaska 14% 75%

Arizona 12% 77%

Arkansas 11% 41%

California 10% 81%

Colorado 10% 73%

Connecticut 12% 81%

Delaware 15% 87%

District Of Columbia 14% 72%

Florida 12% 95%

Georgia 11% 52%

Hawaii 11% n/a

Idaho 9% 73%

Illinois 13% 85%

Indiana 14% 80%

Iowa 12% 79%

Kansas 13% 80%

Kentucky 14% 58%

Louisiana 10% 43%

Maine 16% 85%

Maryland 11% 75%

Massachusetts 16% 82%

Michigan 13% 71%

Minnesota 15% 71%

Mississippi 12% 40%

Missouri 13% 59%
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 19

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

State

Of the students enrolled, what 

percent are served by IDEA?

Of the students subject to physical 

restraint, what percent are served by IDEA?

Montana 11% 62%

Nebraska 15% 77%

Nevada 11% 96%

New Hampshire 15% 82%

New Jersey 15% 86%

New Mexico 14% 74%

New York 14% 86%

North Carolina 12% 80%

North Dakota 14% 76%

Ohio 14% 80%

Oklahoma 15% 53%

Oregon 13% 88%

Pennsylvania 15% 75%

Rhode Island 15% 75%

South Carolina 13% 63%

South Dakota 12% 58%

Tennessee 14% 77%

Texas 9% 79%

Utah 12% 89%

Vermont 14% 69%

Virginia 13% 76%

Washington 11% 66%

West Virginia 16% 65%

Wisconsin 13% 69%

Wyoming 14% 93%

 ‡ Hawaii provided limited data on students without disabilities suspended out-of-school

 SOURCE: U.S. Department of Education, Office for Civil Rights, Civil Rights Data Collection, 2011-12.
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 20

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

Data Notes and Methodology

Since 1968, the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC) has collected data on key education and civil rights 

issues in our nation's public schools for use by the Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights 

(OCR), other Department offices, other federal agencies, and by policymakers and researchers outside of 

the Department. The CRDC collects information about school characteristics and about programs, 

services, and outcomes for students. Most student data is disaggregated by race/ethnicity, gender, 

limited English proficiency, and disability.

Schools and Districts Included

The CRDC has generally been collected biennially from school districts in each of the 50 states, plus the 

District of Columbia. The 2011-12 CRDC included all public schools and public school districts in the 

nation that serve students for at least 50% of the school day. The CRDC also includes long-term secure 

juvenile justice agencies, schools for the blind and deaf, and alternative schools. The response rate for 

this large national collection was 98.4% of school districts and 99.2% of schools, representing 99.6% of 

students in the nation. 

Race and Ethnicity

For the 2011-12 CRDC, districts reported data using the seven race and ethnicity categories 

(Hispanic/Latino, white, black/African-American, Asian, Native Hawaiian/Other Pacific Islander, 

American Indian/Alaska Native, and Two or More Races). For more information on the Department’s 

2007 guidance regarding race and ethnicity categories, please visit 

http://www2.ed.gov/policy/rschstat/guid/raceethnicity/index.html.

Privacy Protection and Data Rounding

To ensure the protection of privacy while meeting the purposes of the CRDC, OCR conducted the analysis 

presented in this document on the privacy protected CRDC data. The CRDC data is privacy protected by 

rounding student counts in groups of three to prevent the disclosure of individual student 

information. For example, student counts from 1-3 are rounded to two, student counts from 4-6 are 

rounded to five. 

In previous years, OCR has rounded CRDC data to the nearest five. However, in collaboration with the 

Department’s Disclosure Review Board, OCR implemented a new rounding method for the 2011-12 CRDC 

to reveal true zeroes where possible and minimize the distortion of rounding. In general, for the 2011-12 

CRDC data, the distortion of rounding one student to two would be balanced by the rounding down of 

three students to two. However, this new privacy protection method may inflate total counts for CRDC 

data elements in which there are prevalent cases of schools reporting only one student (e.g., one student 

retained is rounded to two students retained).

Limitations of CRDC Data

OCR strives to ensure CRDC data are an accurate and comprehensive depiction of student access to 

educational opportunities in school districts. The submission system includes a series of embedded edit 

checks to ensure significant data errors are corrected before the district submits its data. Additionally, 

each district is required to certify the accuracy of its submission. Only a district superintendent, or the 

superintendent’s designee, may certify the CRDC submission. Ultimately, the quality of the CRDC data 

depends on accurate collection and reporting by the participating districts.
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Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

March 21, 2014

After reviewing the data, OCR is aware that inconsistencies may still remain in the data file. Users should 

be aware that outliers in the dataset may be a function of districts misreporting data. For example, 

outliers in the data on single-sex classes may be reporting the number of students enrolled in single-sex 

classes rather than the number of single-sex classes. In the analysis provided in this report, some schools 

and districts with potential reporting errors were excluded from the analysis. The percentage of schools 

included can be found in the notes section below each chart. 

Discipline

CRDC Definitions:

 Students with Disabilities (IDEA): Children (students) having mental retardation, hearing 

impairment (including deafness), speech or language impairment, visual impairment (including 

blindness), serious emotional disturbance (hereafter referred to as emotional disturbance), 

orthopedic impairment, autism, traumatic brain injury, developmental delay, other health 

impairment, specific learning disability, deaf-blindness, or multiple disabilities, and who, by 

reason thereof, are eligible to receive special education and related services under the 

Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) according to an individualized education 

program, individual family service plan, or service plan. The “Students with Disabilities (IDEA)” 

column in survey items always refers to students with disabilities who are receiving services 

under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

 Students with Disabilities (Section 504): An elementary or secondary student with a disability 

who is being provided with special education and/or related aids and services under Section 

504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and is NOT being provided with services 

under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). The “Section 504 only” column in 

survey items always refers to students with disabilities who are being provided with related 

aids and services under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and are NOT 

being provided with services under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA).

 In-school suspension: Instances in which a child is temporarily removed from his or her regular 

classroom(s) for at least half a day but remains under the direct supervision of school 

personnel. Direct supervision means school personnel are physically in the same location as 

students under their supervision.

 Out-of-school suspension: 

o For students with disabilities (IDEA): Out-of-school suspension is an instance in which a 

child is temporarily removed from his/her regular school for disciplinary purposes to 

another setting (e.g., home, behavior center). This includes both removals in which no IEP 

services are provided because the removal is 10 days or less, as well as removals in which 

the child continues to receive services according to his/her IEP. 

o For students without disabilities and students with disabilities served solely under Section 

504: Out-of-school suspension means excluding a student from school for disciplinary 

reasons for one school day or longer. This does not include students who served their 

suspension in the school.
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Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

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 Expulsion with educational services: An action taken by the local educational agency removing a 

child from his/her regular school for disciplinary purposes, with the continuation of educational 

services, for the remainder of the school year or longer in accordance with local educational 

agency policy. Expulsion with educational services also includes removals resulting from 

violations of the Gun Free Schools Act that are modified to less than 365 days.

 Expulsion without educational services: An action taken by the local educational agency 

removing a child from his/her regular school for disciplinary purposes, with the cessation of 

educational services, for the remainder of the school year or longer in accordance with local 

educational agency policy. Expulsion without services also includes removals resulting from 

violations of the Gun Free Schools Act that are modified to less than 365 days.

 Referral to Law Enforcement: Referral to law enforcement is an action by which a student is 

reported to any law enforcement agency or official, including a school police unit, for an incident 

that occurs on school grounds, during school-related events, or while taking school 

transportation, regardless of whether official action is taken. 

 School-related arrest: A school-related arrest is an arrest of a student for any activity conducted 

on school grounds, during off-campus school activities (including while taking school 

transportation), or due to a referral by any school official.

Generally, discipline data is presented two ways in this snapshot. Figure 1 shows the proportion of all 

students subject to disciplinary actions who are represented in each race/ethnicity category. The data is 

presented in stacked bar charts where each bar sums to 100 percent. Figure 2 presents the information 

as a rate. For example, of all the black male students enrolled, 20 percent received an out-of-school 

suspension. By presenting the rate as a rate, the prevalence of the disciplinary action can be analyzed.

Discipline by Race, Section 504 Students: The CRDC collects detailed disaggregated discipline data for 

non-disabled students, students served by IDEA, and Section 504 students. Because the CRDC does not 

include the race/ethnicity breakdown of students served by Section 504 only, the percentages by 

race/ethnicity of students receiving each type of disciplinary action are calculated based on non-disabled 

students and students served by IDEA.

Expulsions: The percentage of students receiving expulsions includes both expulsions with services and 

without services.

Referrals to law enforcement and school-related arrests: The data represented in these figures 

excludes schools with possible reporting errors. For example, some schools reported large numbers of 

students subjected to school-related arrests, but much smaller counts of students referred to law 

enforcement. To ensure large reporting errors did not bias the results, school reporting over 150% of the 

students referred to law enforcement as arrested, were excluded from the analysis. 
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 23

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

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Restraint and Seclusion

CRDC Definitions:

 Mechanical Restraint: The use of any device or equipment to restrict a student’s freedom of 

movement. The term does not include devices implemented by trained school personnel, or 

utilized by a student that have been prescribed by an appropriate medical or related services 

professional and are used for the specific and approved purposes for which such devices were 

designed, such as: Adaptive devices or mechanical supports used to achieve proper body position, 

balance, or alignment to allow greater freedom of mobility than would be possible without the use 

of such devices or mechanical supports; Vehicle safety restraints when used as intended during 

the transport of a student in a moving vehicle; Restraints for medical immobilization; or 

Orthopedically prescribed devices that permit a student to participate in activities without risk of 

harm.

 Physical Restraint: A personal restriction that immobilizes or reduces the ability of a student to 

move his or her torso, arms, legs, or head freely. The term physical restraint does not include a 

physical escort. Physical escort means a temporary touching or holding of the hand, wrist, arm, 

shoulder or back for the purpose of inducing a student who is acting out to walk to a safe location.

 Seclusion: The involuntary confinement of a student alone in a room or area from which the 

student is physically prevented from leaving. It does not include a timeout, which is a behavior 

management technique that is part of an approved program, involves the monitored separation of 

the student in a non-locked setting, and is implemented for the purpose of calming.

Analysis of Physical Restraint, State by State: Hawaii reported no students subject to physical restraint. 

Therefore the percent of IDEA students subject to physical restraint is reported as n/a. 

For more information about the CRDC, please visit: 

http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/ocr/data.html
U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights 24

Civil Rights Data Collection: Data Snapshot (School Discipline)

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About the CRDC

Since 1968, the Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC), formerly the Elementary and Secondary School Survey, has 

collected data on key education and civil rights issues in our nation's public schools for use by the Department of 

Education’s Office for Civil Rights (OCR) in its enforcement and monitoring efforts regarding schools’ and 

districts’ obligation to provide equal educational opportunity. The CRDC is also a tool for other Department 

offices and federal agencies, policymakers and researchers, educators and school officials, and the public to 

analyze student equity and opportunity trends locally and nationwide. The CRDC database, with hundreds of 

data elements, is fully accessible to the public. All data presented are self-reported by school districts. For more 

information about the CRDC, please visit www.ocrdata.ed.gov.

About the 2011-12 Civil Rights Data Collection (CRDC)

 For the first time since 2000, includes data from every public school in the nation (approximately 

16,500 school districts, 97,000 schools, and 49 million students) 

 Includes traditional public schools (preschool through 12th grade), alternative schools, career and 

technical education schools, and charter schools

 Data for every public school disaggregated by race/ethnicity, English learner status, sex, and disability

 New for 2014: data for all schools now disaggregated by 7 race and ethnicity categories, including 

Native-Hawaiian, Pacific-Islander, and multiracial students

 Measures student access to college- and career-preparatory science and math courses, AP courses and 

tests, SAT/ACT tests, gifted and talented programs, IB programs, preschool programs, and 

interscholastic athletics

 Tracks teacher and resource equity, including teacher experience and salary levels, other personnel and 

non-personnel expenditures, and access to school counselors

 Reveals school climate disparities related to student discipline, restraint and seclusion, retention, and 

bullying and harassment

United States Department of Education

Arne Duncan, Secretary

Catherine E. Lhamon, Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights

Lyndon Baines Johnson 

Department of Education Building 

400 Maryland Avenue, SW 

Washington, DC 20202-1100 

Telephone: 800-421-3481 

FAX: 202-453-6012 

TDD: 877-521-2172 

Email: OCR@ed.gov

http://www.ed.gov/ocr