LITTLE ROCK, Ark. - Arkansas schools rely too heavily on expulsion and corporal punishment to discipline students, according to a new report.

The study said spanking or expelling kids as disciplinary actions makes learning harder for students who are struggling to achieve, and rarely resolves the underlying problem.

Report author Ginny Blankenship, education policy director for the nonprofit Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, said outdated discipline policies often do more harm than good, especially for disadvantaged students.

"We found examples of schools that are kicking kids out for very minor, nonviolent offenses at far greater rates for children of color and children with special needs than their peers in the classroom," she said.

The study confirmed that disruptive students often are the ones who struggle the most with schoolwork. Blankenship said research shows that suspensions and spankings, which account for two-thirds of all disciplinary actions, are ineffective at improving student behavior. The report offered alternatives, such as the Positive Behavioral Interventions and Support system, in which students can take responsibility and make amends for their actions.

The study is a product of recent measures by the Arkansas General Assembly, which mandate reporting of all cases of school discipline. Blankenship says it recommends that the state provide more resources to the Arkansas Department of Education for training and school personnel.

"We've got to have more school counselors available in schools across the state," she said. "Right now, we're really under-funding school counselor positions. We should have a ratio of no more than one to 400 students, and we often have one to 700 in some cases."

She said the report suggested a ban on corporal punishment and recommended strict limits on suspensions, particularly for students in the lower grades.

"In Arkansas last year, there were over 15,000 instances of students being hit by administrators. A lot of parents don't realize that that this is still the case. And Arkansas is one of only 19 states that still allows this to happen."

The report also called for including student discipline rates and methods as a gauge of school climate in each school's federal report as part of the "Every Student Succeeds Act."

The report is online at aradvocates.org.


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One of North Carolina's oldest Historically Black Colleges and Universities is finding new ways to help students stay enrolled and graduate.

Recent research shows nationwide nearly 45% of Black and Latino students have canceled their educational plans because of changes in income tied to the pandemic, compared with 38% of White students.

Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Fayetteville State University Rollinda Thomas said FSU has established a scholarship with a local institution, Fayetteville Technical Community College, that provides eligible students with two years of free tuition.

Thomas explained the initiative is aimed at helping transfer students stay on track toward a four-year degree while reducing debt.

"The key for us was to be intentional about diversity and appealing to students who may be viewed as nontraditional learners," said Thomas.

She said the university also has rolled out gap scholarships and emergency funding for students in need and has opened an on-campus food pantry to address food insecurity.

Thomas adds FSU has joined the North Carolina Promise Undergraduate Tuition Plan, allowing both in- and out-of-state students to be eligible for subsidized tuition.

"This is helpful to our population because just over 50% of our undergraduates are Pell eligible," said Thomas, "along with about 30% of our adult learners."

She added higher-education institutions are beginning to experiment with new ways to provide resources for students of color, who are more likely to face economic burdens.

"We try to create a sense of belonging and use data to identify student needs and provide the support needed to help them persist," said Thomas.

Fayetteville State University has received more than $40 million in American Rescue Plan Act funds, according to data from the White House.

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

By age 35, workers with a bachelor's degree or higher are about twice as likely as workers with just a high school diploma to have a good job - one that pays at least $35,000 a year - according to new research by Georgetown University.

Angie Paccione is the executive director of the Colorado Department of Higher Education. She said the report confirms the value of getting some form of education after high school.

"Higher education, or post-secondary education, is the antidote, if you will, to unemployment," said Paccione. "We saw that during the pandemic, that those who had a bachelor's degree or higher were least likely to lose their jobs."

The cost of attending college remains the biggest barrier for most students, disproportionately impacting students of color.

As postsecondary education has become essential for landing a good job, college tuition and living expenses have never been greater. Since 1980, the cost of attending a four-year institution has nearly tripled.

Paccione encourages Coloradans to learn about resources available for students at 'ReadyToRiseCO.org.'

Researchers found that work-based learning can help students enter the workforce with good-paying jobs, but fewer than one in three young adults have completed work-based programs.

Paccione said people can make good wages through certificate programs that open the door for jobs as electricians, welders, mechanics and other trades.

"If you get a good union job, a trade job," said Paccione, "where you have your apprenticeship, and journeyman, and you do your time, so to speak - you get paid very well too."

The Colorado Legislature recently allocated $220 million for scholarships to help lower the barrier for entry to college.

Paccione pointed to one effort in Adams County, which invests its marijuana revenues to tap matching funds from the Colorado Opportunity Scholarship Initiative - resulting in $1 million for scholarships each year.

"And this scholarship goes to first-generation students, low-income students and students of color," said Paccione. "And so to see those students actually have a shot, that changes the trajectory of the whole family."

Support for this reporting was provided by Lumina Foundation.

A new report found Michigan kids have remained stagnant across several key indicators of student success, such as fourth-grade reading and eighth-grade math performance.

One in four Michigan students who go onto postsecondary opportunities require remedial education, and the number is more than 40% for the state's Black students.

Hayley Butler, data and policy analyst for The Education Trust-Midwest, which released the report, said Michigan needs to invest in education, but also make improvements in systems, policies and practices.

"We want to see more services provided to the students who need the support, so that they're able to achieve at high levels," Butler explained. "We know all students are capable of reaching high potential if they have what they need to succeed."

The report pointed out learning loss due to the COVID pandemic has widened opportunity gaps for low-income students and students of color. Michigan ranks 32nd in the nation for fourth-grade reading. And since 2003, students in other states have improved their eighth grade math scores by nearly three times more than eighth graders in Michigan.

Butler added unprecedented federal funding for public schools as part of COVID relief packages is an opportunity to make needed changes, from fair funding and investment to transparency, public reporting and accountability.

"We would love to see more data systems and fiscal transparency to ensure that the extra funds that we're calling to be invested in the system are actually spent in the classroom," Butler urged. "In ways that we know evidence said serve students and actually helps them reach their potential."

She noted it is important for Michigan to look to other states implementing evidence-based policies and funding models to ensure students with the highest needs receive support.