Strategic Priority 2 - Goal 3
Objective
Reduce disproportionate suspension rates
Measure
Percent students with out-of-school suspensions
By 2029, HCPSS will reduce suspension rates from 2.4% to 1.4%.
Equity commitment
HCPSS will reduce the overrepresentation of Black/African American students and students who receive special education services in discipline by decreasing the suspension rates of these student groups at a faster rate, such that their suspension rates decrease.
Annual Targets
Out-of-School Suspension Rates K-12
| Student Group | 2024 Actual | 2025 Target | 2026 Target | 2027 Target | 2028 Target | 2029 Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| All Students | 2.4% | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1.7% | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| Am Indian/AK Native | 3.7% | 3.0% | 2.5% | 2.1% | 1.7% | 1.4% |
| Asian | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% | 0.6% |
| Black or African American | 5.9% | 4.4% | 3.3% | 2.5% | 1.9% | 1.4% |
| Hispanic/Latino of any race | 2.8% | 2.4% | 2.1% | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1.4% |
| Native HI/Pacific Islander | 5.6% | 4.3% | 3.2% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 1.4% |
| White | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% | 0.8% |
| Two or more races | 2.1% | 1.9% | 1.8% | 1.6% | 1.5% | 1.4% |
| Economically Disadvantaged | 7.0% | 5.1% | 3.7% | 2.7% | 1.9% | 1.4% |
| Special Education | 5.4% | 4.1% | 3.2% | 2.4% | 1.8% | 1.4% |
| Multilingual Learners | 2.2% | 2.0% | 1.8% | 1.7% | 1.5% | 1.4% |
Why was this measure selected?
Black/African American students and students receiving special education services are persistently overrepresented in out-of-school suspensions. HCPSS’s disproportionate use of suspensions by student group calls for continuous monitoring of school discipline practices to inform strategic and timely actions that reduce disproportionate rates of suspensions.
How were targets set?
We referenced the lowest suspension rate among Maryland school systems to set our 2029 target of 1.4%. For student groups with suspension rates over that benchmark, their targets were set to reduce at a rate that would bring their 2029 suspension rate to 1.4%.