Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10419/316870 
Year of Publication: 
2025
Series/Report no.: 
CESifo Working Paper No. 11756
Publisher: 
CESifo GmbH, Munich
Abstract: 
Does relaxing strict school discipline improve student achievement, or lead to classroom disorder? We study a 2012 reform in New York City public middle schools that eliminated suspensions for non-violent, disorderly behavior. Math scores of students in more-affected schools rose by 0.05 standard deviations over three years relative to other schools. Reading scores rose by 0.03 standard deviations. Only a small portion of these aggregate benefits can be explained by the direct impact of eliminating suspensions on students who would have been suspended under the old policy. Instead, test score gains are associated with improvements in school culture, as measured by the quality of student-teacher relationships and perceptions of safety at school. We find no evidence of trade-offs between students, with students benefiting even if they were unlikely to be suspended themselves.
Subjects: 
education
school suspension
school discipline
school safety
human capital
JEL: 
H75
I20
J24
J45
Document Type: 
Working Paper
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