Educators across the United States are raising concerns about a growing issue: a sharp increase in preschool expulsions and suspensions.
According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, preschoolers are expelled or suspended at three times the rate of students in kindergarten through 12th grade. Dr. Tim Zeng of the Early Education Leaders Institute shared new findings on Thursday in Minnesota, highlighting that 49% of preschool teachers reported suspending at least one student in the past year.
The issue disproportionately affects certain groups. Black children make up nearly half of public preschool suspensions, despite representing less than one-fifth of preschool enrollments. Children with disabilities also face higher suspension rates, and boys are expelled 4.5 times more often than girls, Zeng’s research revealed.
Zeng emphasized the importance of teaching children problem-solving skills within the classroom rather than resorting to exclusion. “Children need to learn to address problems in a classroom setting, rather than being sent home,” he said.
In Minnesota, some schools are adopting innovative approaches to address this troubling trend. Grace Neighborhood Nursery School in Minneapolis focuses on individualized strategies for each student.
“They live in the real world, and we must understand their world to create strategies that meet them where they are,” said Barb Murphy, the school’s executive director.
By tailoring support to each child’s unique needs, schools like Grace Neighborhood Nursery School are working to reduce expulsion and suspension rates, offering a model for addressing the national crisis.
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