Louisiana: 8,000 pre-k to 3rd grade students expelled from school

Sept 16, 2017, The Baton Rouge Advocate: Pre-K students suspended? State panel shocked over toss rate http://www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/education/article_46a464ee-7c17-11e6-a7d9-d3374a2332b6.html A new state panel Friday was surprised to learn the depth of Louisiana's student discipline problems, including the revelation that nearly 8,000 students from pre-kindergarten through third grade were tossed out of public schools. That list includes 1,050 kindergarten students who were handed out-of-school suspensions during the 2015-16 school year. Nearly 60,000 students were suspended statewide, mostly minorities and students from low-income families. "I am absolutely shocked that you can have a kindergartener that has an experienced an out-of-school suspension," said Sherlyn Shumbert of Baton Rouge, a member of the Advisory Council on Student Behavior and Discipline. … "This has been a hot topic in the Legislature," Bendily said. Despite complaints that it fails to go far enough, a House committee Wednesday approved a bi… She said lawmakers have focused on "what is a seven-year-old doing to be sent home?" According to a state survey, 181 pre-K students were tossed out of school during the previous school year; 1,744 first graders; 2,147 second graders 2,723 third graders.