Illinois lawmakers and educators address 'school-to-prison' pipeline

Illinois officials have released guidance to address the connection between school discipline policies and increased rates of incarceration, sometimes called the “school-to-prison” pipeline.

The guidance from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office and the Illinois State Board of Education is a resource to ensure public K-12 school districts meet their legal obligations under state and federal civil rights laws.

“The school-to-prison pipeline is a term that is used to refer to the connection between punitive and exclusionary disciplinary practices in schools, and then leading to increased rates of incarceration,” said Amy Meeks, civil rights bureau chief with the Illinois Attorney general’s office.

Adolescents who attend schools with high suspension rates are substantially more likely to be arrested and jailed as adults, according to the fall 2021 issue of the journal Education Next. Researchers found that Black male students are more than three times as likely to be suspended from school as white male students.

Under the law, schools must administer student discipline policies without discriminating on the basis of race, color, gender, national origin, sexual orientation or other protected characteristics.

The AG’s office and ISBE recommend that schools take a trauma-informed approach to school discipline and prioritize equity for all students.

“Data shows that there is a connection between exclusionary school discipline policies and increased rates of incarceration,” Kwame Raoul wrote in a statement. “School districts have a responsibility to ensure that disciplinary policies and practices do not disproportionately impact students of color.”

Illinois law requires school boards to conduct annual reviews of discipline policies and their implementation.

“Punitive and exclusionary discipline are not what students need to get back on track academically,” state Superintendent of Schools Carman Ayala said in a statement. “We are proud to partner with the Attorney General’s Office to provide guidance on school discipline to support holistic, evidence-based practices that contribute to a safe and positive school culture for all students.”