PADUCAH — Local educators are expressing concern over a troubling national trend: an increase in suspensions and expulsions among preschoolers. The Department of Health and Human Services recently reported that preschool suspension and expulsion rates are three times higher than those in K-12 education. The department attributes this rise to factors such as implicit bias, teacher stress due to low salaries and limited training, and high teacher-to-child ratios in classrooms.
Mary Francis Gold, the director of Creative Minds Child Development Center in Paducah, with over a decade of experience in early childhood education, finds the trend alarming. “It’s very sad because everyone needs child care,” she said.
Dr. Tim Zeng, a researcher at the Early Education Leadership Institute in Boston, has been studying early childhood suspensions and expulsions for several years. He presented his findings in Minnesota last Friday, revealing that nearly half of preschool teachers, 49%, reported suspending a student in the past year. Zeng argues that suspension and expulsion are not effective solutions. “Children need to learn problem-solving skills in the classroom, not be sent home,” he said.
Gold echoed this sentiment, emphasizing that suspending or expelling a child is always a last resort at Creative Minds. “We do our best to avoid it,” she added.
The statistics surrounding racial and disability disparities in preschool suspensions are also concerning. Black children, who make up less than one-fifth of all preschoolers, account for nearly 50% of suspensions. Children with disabilities are also disproportionately affected.
Gold explained that her center strives to support families in difficult situations. “We give them a few more chances, and if it becomes unmanageable, we refer them to specialists, like Easter Seals or a speech therapist,” she said.
To avoid expulsions, Creative Minds places a strong emphasis on staff communication and training. “We always include autism training in our staff development sessions,” Gold explained. “We also use resources like our Keiko account for additional autism training and have directors and assistant directors assist teachers in classrooms when needed.”
Local public preschools in the Paducah area report similar approaches. The director of Paducah Public Schools’ HeadStart program confirmed that suspensions and expulsions are extremely rare, with such actions taken only as a last resort.
The HeadStart Early Childhood Learning Center has outlined the harmful effects of preschool expulsions. Children who are expelled often lose valuable opportunities to learn, socialize, and develop social and emotional skills. They are also at greater risk for ongoing behavioral issues, which can affect their future academic success and overall development. Expulsion can lead to negative perceptions of themselves, school, and learning.
Educators in Paducah continue to emphasize the importance of supportive, solution-focused strategies to address behavioral challenges in preschoolers, aiming to create positive learning environments without resorting to exclusionary practices.
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