Educational impacts of discipline policies on Chicano students in Utah: a mixed-method critical race theory and latcrit analysis

For many years public school discipline policies have been critiqued for their disproportionate racial/ethnic distribution. This study examines zero tolerance discipline policies including suspensions, expulsions, and related practices in two Utah school districts. This research expands on previous research by focusing on the impact discipline policies have on Chicano students and their college readiness. Using a mixed method approach combining hierarchical linear modeling and interviews framed by critical race theory, this study substantiates and contextualizes the findings that Chicano students have a lower college attendance rate than their White counterparts in Utah and by contrast their representation is disproportionately high in state juvenile justice detention centers.