Expulsions and Suspensions of Children of Color from ECE Programs in Washington State

 

Patricia Coss-Maxwell 

Department of Education: Eastern Washington University 

EDUC 586 - Early Childhood Leadership, Policy, and Practice 

Dr. Allison Wilson  

October 10, 2022

 

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Informative Title: 

     Children of color 3-5 years of age in the U.S. are most likely to be expelled more times than their counterparts from ECE programs due to the lack of anti-bias education and attention to diversity from early childhood education professionals. This issue is not different in Washington State. 

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Statement of the problem: 

      Race, gender, and SES strongly predict the expulsion and suspension of children of color. According to Buell (2022), in 2019, 7.7 million children under five years old attended early care and education (ECE) programs in the U.S. Research has shown that licensing regulations impact all aspects of care offered to those children with different policies, such as infection control, nutrition, and behavior management (Buell, 2022); National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (n.d.). ECE programs in the State of Washington (WAC 110-300-0331) are subject to licensing regulations that include discipline and guidance policies. However, even though those regulations prohibit specific methods of discipline, such as corporal punishment, childcare providers' disciplinary decisions are influenced by bias based on race, gender, ability, SES, and other different experiences. A recent survey found that 35.7% of private childcare center administrators expelled a child in the previous 12 months (Buell, 2022), with children of color the most affected. Even when preschool children are 54% of the student population, 79% of suspended children are preschoolers (Costa, 2015). 

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Discussion of the need for change: 

     The suspension and expulsion of children from early learning programs are pervasive and damaging. Research conducted over the last two decades demonstrates that children are suspended and expelled from early learning programs at rates many times higher than the rates of their older peers in K-12 classrooms. Based on the 2016 National Survey of Children's Health, about 250 preschoolers are expelled daily (Otto, 2020). These suspensions and expulsions are firmly racially skewed, with African American boys being suspended and expelled at much higher rates (Summers, 2014). Black boys in preschool are 3.6 times as likely to receive one or more suspensions relative to White preschoolers (Gilliam et al., 2016). Boys are three times as likely as girls to be suspended one or more times (Gilliam et al., 2016). In addition, children with behavioral and mental health needs are over-represented among those suspended and expelled. Sex and race disparities in ECE expulsions and suspensions are associated with ECE professionals' stress tolerance and access to low-quality ECE programs. Exclusions from ECE programs lead to adverse effects on a child's self-image, family relationships, and workforce problems (Buell, 2022). There is an enduring negative impact on suspended and expelled children, as measured by subsequent academic and life outcomes. 

     Some root causes of the problem are uneven or biased implementation of disciplinary policies, discriminatory discipline practices, school racial climate, under-resourced programs, and inadequate teacher training, especially in self-reflective strategies to identify and correct potential biases in perceptions and practice (Gilliam et al., 2016). Unfortunately, there is a tendency to view child behaviors differently based on race, gender, and SES. This automatic association has increased in the last few years (Gilliam et al., 2016).   

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Description of two or more proposed solutions: 

     Some possible solutions to address this problem in the State of Washington could be developing effective strategies and supports to counteract the practice, such as;

• Staff training and professional development. 

• Working with families to provide education about identity, diversity, and justice at home. 

• Creating developmentally and culturally appropriate learning environments. 

• Implementing interventions designed to address biases directly. 

• Adopting an anti-Bias Education (ABE) curriculum that  intentionally focuses on teaching social-emotional skills to young children. 

• Mental health support for ECE professionals.

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List of organizations and key individuals in support of these solutions. 

     In Washington State, the following organizations and individuals could help to solve the issue: 

• Catholic Charities of Central Washington (CCCW) - Rebecca Knox - Regional Coordinator Child Care Aware of Washington (CCA of WA) - Sandy Maldonado- Director of Early Learning 

• Child Care Action Council - Kristin Gomez - Regional Coordinator 

• Child Care Aware of Southwest Washington - Michelle Aguilar - Regional Coordinator

• Child Care Resources (CCR) - Janine Meyers - Early Learning Services Dept. Director 

• Community-Minded Enterprises - Kathy Blair - Regional Coordinator 

• Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) - Rachael Brown-Kendal 

• Opportunity Council/Child Care Aware of NW WA - Elaine Larson - NW Regional Manager 

• University of Washington - Cultivate Learning -  Dawn Williams - Director of Professional Learning & Coaching

 

Expected outcomes 

     ECE programs have a fundamental role in internalizing norms, values, and beliefs. As institutions, they are sound broad for the society to which they belong and are often discriminatory organizations; however, ECE programs can also be the engine of change toward a more diverse and inclusive community. Over time, positive progress has been made in transforming the ECE curricula to avoid exclusion. Still, the hidden curriculum - that set of ideas, meanings, and perceptions that are implicitly transmitted - often remains unchanged, reproducing a system of stereotypes that naturalizes a discriminatory view of the world. f the ABE curriculum is implemented in the Washington State preschools, children will; 

1. Develop self-awareness, confidence, pride, and positive social identities 

2. Feel comfortable and happy with human diversity; accept human differences, and become empathetic with human beings

3. Recognize unfairness, and advocate for equity 

4. Be empowered and ready to act against prejudice and discrimination.

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Likely outcomes if the proposed solutions are not implemented: 

     The goal is to dramatically reduce the incidence of expulsions of children from early learning programs in the State of Washington. However, if the ABE curriculum is not implemented in Washington State preschools, children will continue developing fear, racism, discrimination, and injustice. 

A Call to Action

      Join us in the effort to drastically reduce the appallingly high incidence of expulsion and suspension of children of color from ECE Programs. We want to see the State of Washington lead the nation in this regard. 

 

References

Buell, Fidel, R., Hustedt, J. T., Kuntz, S., & Slicker, G. (2022). From time-out to expulsion: A national review of states' center-based child care licensing exclusionary discipline regulations. Children and Youth Services Review, 141. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.childyouth.2022.106623

Costa, F. 5 C. (2015). First 5 contra costa – en español. First 5 Contra Costa En Espanol. http://www.first5coco.org/es/tag/expulsiones-en-el-preescolar/ 

National Center on Early Childhood Health and Wellness (n.d.). Understanding and Eliminating Expulsion in Early Childhood Programs. /https://eclkc.ohs.acf.hhs.gov/sites/default/files/pdf/understanding-eliminating-expulsion-early-childhood-factsheet.pdf 

Gilliam, W. S., Maupin, A. N., Reyes, C. R., Accavitti, M., & Shic, F. (2016). Do early educators' implicit biases regarding sex and race relate to behavior expectations and recommendations of preschool expulsions and suspensions? https://www.jsums.edu/scholars/files/2017/03/Preschool-Implicit-Bias-Policy-Brief_final_9_26_276766_5379.pdf 

Otto, R. (2020). What we talk about when we talk about preschool expulsion. Children's Institute. https://childinst.org/what-we-talk-about-when-we-talk-about-preschool-expulsion/ 

Summers, J. (2014). Is the deck stacked against Black boys in America? NPR. https://www.npr.org/sections/ed/2014/05/30/317428231/is-the-deck-stacked-against-black-boys-in-america 

Washington State Legislature (n.d.) WAC 110-300-0331. WAC 110-300-0331. https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=110-300-0331