title: Closing the Racial Discipline Gap in Classrooms by Changing Teacher Practice.
abstract: Black students are issued school discipline sanctions at rates higher than members of other racial and ethnic groups, underscoring the need for professional development that addresses this gap. In 86 secondary classrooms, a randomized controlled trial examined the effects of a 2-year teacher coaching program, My Teaching Partner Secondary (MTP-S). Results from the second year of coaching and the year after coaching was discontinued replicated previous findings from the first year of coaching-intervention teachers had no significant disparities in discipline referral between Black students and their classmates, compared to teachers in the control condition, for whom racial discipline gaps remained. Thus, MTP-S effects were replicated in the second year of coaching and maintained when coaching was withdrawn. Mediational analyses identified mechanisms for these effects; Black students had a low probability of receiving disciplinary referrals with teachers who increased skills to engage students in high-level analysis and inquiry.
authors.affiliation: Rutgers University.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Gregory
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia.
authors.forename: Christopher A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Hafen
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia.
authors.forename: Erik
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Ruzek
authors.affiliation: University of British, Columbia.
authors.forename: Amori Yee
authors.initials: AY
authors.lastname: Mikami
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia.
authors.forename: Joseph P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Allen
authors.affiliation: University of Virginia.
authors.forename: Robert C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Pianta
keywords: Black students; Racial discipline gap; School discipline; Secondary schools; teacher professional development