LDF ON 2009-10 School Year “Civil Rights Data Collection”
Posted By The Editors | March 6th, 2012 | Category: Education | No Comments » 
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Each year, more and more students are suspended and expelled from schools, and some are even arrested on
Print This PostThe NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (“LDF”) applauds the U.S. Department of Education on the release of its most recent “Civil Rights Data Collection” ? and is deeply alarmed by the data therein.
Compared to prior data releases, this year’s data collection for the 2009-2010 school year reflects an expanded set of information, including factors such as school-based arrests, referrals to law enforcement and students receiving multiple suspensions. LDF and other civil rights and education advocates have urged inclusion of these reporting categories and have also asked the Department of Education to collect these data annually from all schools, including all charter schools that receive federal funds.
The data confirms what many civil rights and education advocates have feared. Stark racial disparities across various indicators are hampering educational access and opportunity. According to the Department of Education, black students are more than three-and-a-half times as likely to be suspended or expelled compared to their white peers. Black and Hispanic students are far more likely than white students to be forced to repeat a grade, especially in the elementary and middle grades. And fewer schools with high concentrations of minority students had access to either advanced curriculum or reasonably experienced teachers who can prepare them to compete in today’s global economy.
This data release reflects a continuing trend of racial disparities in education, particularly with respect to school discipline.
Each year, more and more students are suspended and expelled from schools, and some are even arrested on 
