Texas educators have been increasingly suspending students in the years after schools reopened after the pandemic, state discipline data shows, a rise that follows widespread reports of more students struggling with behavioral and mental health issues.
The number of out-of-school suspensions issued to Texas public school students jumped 11 percent between 2021-22, the first full year children returned to in-person classes, and 2023-24, according to data published by the Texas Education Agency.
Under state law, each school district is responsible for creating a student code of conduct that outlines which actions can result in a suspension, during which students cannot attend in-person classes or return to campus. Common reasons for suspension include fighting, assaulting a school employee, and possession of drugs or alcohol.
While district codes vary, out-of-school suspensions cannot extend past three consecutive days under state law.
A statewide look
In the years leading up to the COVID-19 pandemic, the number of suspensions steadily dropped as more school leaders embraced approaches to discipline that didn’t involve removing kids from campus. The decline also followed state legislators passing a bill in 2017 that limited suspensions of students in second grade and younger.
But after students spent parts of two school years in virtual classes, the pattern reversed. The number of suspensions rose from about 362,200 in 2021-22 to 403,900 in the past school year. Texas schools had not reported more than 400,000 suspensions since 2015-16.
Texas’ suspension trends come amid nationwide issues with the pandemic negatively affecting students’ behavioral development. In 2022, a survey conducted by the National Center for Education Statistics found 84 percent of public school leaders felt the quarantine negatively affected student behavior, particularly classroom disruptions due to student misconduct. Fifty percent of public school leaders reported a need for more training on classroom management strategies.
Data by district
In the Greater Houston area, the largest school districts reported out-of-school suspension rates ranging from 3 to 21 suspensions per 100 students in 2023-24. Spring, Aldine and Cypress-Fairbanks ISDs had the largest number of out-of-school suspensions.
Spring ISD had 21 out-of-school suspensions per 100 students in the 2023-24 school year, triple the state rate. Spring board members discussed a goal in October 2024 of reducing all student discipline by 10 percent, including suspensions.
Search the database below for suspension rates and other information for all Texas school districts with available data reported by the Texas Education Agency. Districts with fewer than 10 out-of-school suspensions are not included in the data for student privacy reasons.
Why it matters
The rise in out-of-school suspensions comes amid a continuing debate over removing kids from school.
Some educators question the practice, arguing it hurts students’ learning, ability to graduate and job prospects. Others say out-of-school suspensions are necessary to protect other students and employees, allowing them to learn and work in a safe environment.
A widely cited 2011 study of Texas school discipline found students were six times more likely to repeat a grade and seven times more likely to be involved in the juvenile justice system if they had been suspended or expelled.
The Texas Education Agency has not yet published out-of-school suspension data for the first half of the 2024-25 school year.
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