The U.S. Department of Education is shedding light on preschool suspensions.
According to the Civil Rights Data Collection, a survey, black preschool students were 3.6 times as likely to receive one or more out-of-school suspensions as white preschool students.
19 percent of the students in preschool are black, but 47 percent of them are suspended compared to 41 percent of white students who only see 28 percent.
Out of the students enrolled 20 percent are black girl students in preschool and more than half have been suspended.
Similar numbers show in grades K-12. Black students are nearly 2 times more likely to be expelled without educational services as white students.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children wrote a statement saying,"Expulsion in early childhood education is not an intervention. Over a decade of research and data tell us that the policies and practices of suspension and expulsion in early childhood, which disproportionately affect children of color, are causing harm to children and families."
Last year the Department of Education in Michigan put out a guidance to help reduce preschool suspensions. However, it is not state law.
Privately-run schools and day cares are not required to report suspension numbers.
