School Discipline Reform

Massachusetts schools reported over 28,000 students excluded from school (suspensions, expulsions, and permanent removals to an alternative setting) in the 2019-2020 school year.*

MAC’s school discipline reform work focuses its attention on school exclusion and the effects of zero tolerance policies and practices, particularly on students of color and students with disabilities. This work became even more urgent with the passage of the Education Reform Act of 1993, when school principals gained broad authority to exclude children from school.

Since then, MAC has worked with countless families, partner organizations, and legislators on both the individual and systemic levels to move away from discriminatory and punitive discipline practices in our schools. MAC was instrumental in advocating for the passage of Chapter 222 of the Acts of 2012 which transformed school discipline in Massachusetts. The underlying principle of the law is to make exclusion from school a last resort, especially for all but the most serious offenses.

*Please note: This data profile is based on the 2019-2020 school year, during which the the COVID-19 pandemic-related school closings started in the spring. Source: DESE Student Discipline Data Report

Parent & Student Resources

Professional Resources

Self-Advocacy Resources

Discipline Rates by Race in MA Schools 2019-2020 (White, Hispanic/Latino, Black/African-American)2019-2020Total number of White students: 555,597Number of White students disciplined: 11,560=2.1% Total number of Black/African-American students: 89,92…

Discipline Rates by Disability Status in MA Schools 2019-2020 (Students without disabilities, Students with Disabilities)Total number of students with disabilities: 184,561Number of students with disabilities disciplined: 10,492=5.7%Total number of …

Mass DOE Student Discipline Data Report

Spotlight on:

School Discipline Law (Chapter 222)

Provides students excluded from school with the right to make academic progress during the period of their exclusion through alternative education programs and services provided by the school district

Click here to see how we won school discipline reform in Massachusetts (Schott Foundation for Public Education, 2014)

Young Black boy in a blue shirt smiling while sitting in a swing outside

Individual Advocacy

Through our Helpline, we provide support to parents to help make sure their children are not unlawfully excluded from school and receive the educational supports and services to which they are legally entitled. To learn more click here.

The Education Law Task Force

Through ELTF’s Chapter 222 Coalition, MAC and 25 partner organizations advocate for the full implementation of Chapter 222, Massachusetts’ school discipline reform law, in order to keep kids in school learning. To learn more click here.

Dismantling the
School-to-Prison Pipeline

MAC has partnered with the Justice Resource Institute (JRI) Dimock CSA to provide children of color with emotional and behavioral challenges the legal and clinical services they need to avoid school exclusion and thrive in school. Through this innovative wrap-around service model, MAC partners with clinical social workers to provide legal assistance and specialized trainings for staff and parents to help ensure that this highly vulnerable population of children receives the comprehensive supports they need to stay in school.