Suspending Suspensions: The Education Production Consequences of School Suspension Policies*.

This article examines the causal effects of changes in school suspension policies on student academic performance and teacher turnover, focusing on the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) where suspension rates declined from 8% in 2003 to less than 1% in 2015. Using an instrumental variables approach that leverages districtwide suspension rate changes interacted with school-specific initial suspension rates, the study finds that reductions in suspension rates led to decreases in math and English test scores, grade point averages, and increased student absences, while also increasing teacher turnover—especially among inexperienced teachers. The analysis reveals an efficiency-equity trade-off: although average achievement declined for most students, the highest-risk students experienced moderate gains, suggesting that suspension policies produce direct negative effects on suspended students but positive indirect spillover effects on their peers. These findings provide a framework for educators and policymakers to weigh the complex trade-offs involved in setting suspension policies.