Welsh spearheads collaborative research initiative focused on equity to address racial disparities in school discipline

Vanderbilt Peabody College faculty members, Thomas Smith and Richard Welsh, are taking on the challenge of addressing school equity issues, specifically focusing on the persistence of racial disparities in exclusionary school discipline practices. Despite a decline in suspensions over the past decade due to policy reforms, African American students continue to face higher rates of exclusionary disciplinary actions.

Richard Welsh, an associate professor of education and public policy at Vanderbilt Peabody College, has secured grants totaling $599,178 to lead a three-year project in collaboration with a school district in Georgia. The project aims to understand the role of race and power in equity-centered research-practice partnerships and how these dynamics impact decision-making processes within school districts.

By engaging in a co-design process of in-school suspensions (ISS), Welsh and his team hope to uncover solutions that will truly address racial inequities in school discipline policies and practices. The research team will analyze interviews with key decision-makers, observe various meetings and workshops, and examine documents related to the partnership and decision-making processes.

Welsh emphasized the importance of improving the use of research evidence among education leaders to drive disruptive decisions necessary for addressing persistent racial inequities in school discipline. By reimagining the ISS process and infrastructure in collaboration with school leaders and personnel at three middle schools, the partnership aims to improve youth outcomes and create a more equitable educational environment.

Through this innovative approach, Welsh and his team are working towards a future where all students have equal access to education and are not disproportionately affected by disciplinary actions based on their race. This project represents a significant step towards achieving greater equity in schools and fostering a more inclusive learning environment for all students.