In 2008-2009, Kentucky schools experienced the lowest number of expulsions (both with and without services) and corporal punishments for board violations since 1999-2000, according to the
Kentucky Center for School Safety.
The report also revealed a dramatic reduction over the five-year period in total disciplinary actions for board violations; disciplinary actions for disturbing class; disciplinary actions for board violations at each grade level in grades K-9; and disciplinary actions for drug possession.
Additionally, for the tenth consecutive year, no criminal homicides or forcible rapes were reported. Furthermore, encouraging developments can be seen in the fact that Part II law violations decreased over the past year and there were very few disciplinary actions for menacing or abuse.
Nevertheless, not all the news from this report is good news. Disciplinary actions for both board and law violations for 10th, 11th, and 12th graders increased over the five-year period. Additionally, both students that received free and reduced lunch and nonwhite students continue to be disproportionately represented in disciplinary actions for both board and law violations.
Disciplinary actions for serious law violations also increased slightly from 2007-2008, with most of that increase in disciplinary actions for larceny-theft and robbery. Finally, disciplinary actions for simple assault and drug distribution also increased from 2007-2008 totals, as did the total days that students were absent from school due to out-of-school suspension.
To read the full report, click here.
