A Descriptive Study Related to Office Discipline Referrals for Assault, Assault and Battery and the Subsequent Referrals to Law Enforcement for Criminal Charges Against Students by Race, Gender, and Those with Disabilities in One School District in Virginia

The purpose of this study was to describe the data of the overarching research question: What are the demographic characteristics of race, gender, and disability status of Office Discipline referrals (ODRs) related to law enforcement referrals for assault, assault, and battery and the subsequent referral to law enforcement for criminal charges in one suburban school division in Virginia. The findings emphasized that African American males were disproportionately represented in Office Discipline Referrals compared to any other subgroup included in the study. The data revealed that a higher proportion of Black female students were referred to law enforcement compared to male students. Furthermore, students with disabilities had a higher percentage of Office Discipline Referrals; however, the percentage and number of referrals to law enforcement did not support the data. The research had some limitations. The introduction of a new behavior-tracking system for recording Office Discipline Referrals affected the accuracy of the data. This raises concerns about the necessity for additional training and support for school administrators using student behavior administrative response (SBAR) and the potential for erroneous input of ODRs into the system and disciplinary procedures.