If you have ever wondered what role your state plays in the school-to-prison pipeline you are now able to find out quickly. The Center for Public Integrity used data from the U.S. Department of Education to compile a list of each state’s rank in referring children, per 1,000 students , to the juvenile justice system. The Center for Public Integrity reported:
The national rate of referrals to law enforcement agencies was six students for every 1,000 pupils, with 19 states surpassing that rate.
Virginia had about 16 referrals for every 1,000 students, followed by Delaware with almost 15; Florida with more than 12; and Wyoming and New Hampshire with nearly 12 referrals for every 1,000 students.
Massachusetts, Ohio, Nevada and Washington, D.C., reported the lowest rates of referrals, at two or fewer students per 1,000.
Even states not among those with the highest overall rates of referrals had individual schools that stood out. Bedford County, Tennessee’s Cascade High School had a referral rate of 157 per 1,000 students.
About 26 percent of all students referred to law enforcement nationally were special-needs kids — kids with physical or learning disabilities — even though these kids represent only 14 percent of U.S. enrollment.
In most states, black and Latino kids were referred in percentages that were disproportionate to their enrollment numbers.
To find your state’s ranking click here.
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