The Relationship of School Structure and Support to Suspension Rates for Black and White High School Students

Given the persistent trends in the disproportionate suspension of Black students, this study examined the relationship between authoritative schools structures and suspension rates for both Black and White students. The study analyzed responses to school climate surveys from ninth grade students in 199 public high schools in Virginia. findings showed a consistent, positive relationship between schoolwide suspension rates, the degree to which students perceive their teachers as having high academic expectations, and student perceptions of teachers as caring and respectful.