Giving Compass' Take:

• Alex Zimmerman reports that New York City suspensions were down in 2018 after a spike in 2017. 

• How can funders work to decrease suspension? What do suspension trends look like in your area? 

• Learn about the damage that suspensions do. 

After a one-year jump in suspensions, New York City schools are suspending students less frequently this school year, according to data.

From July through December 2018, schools issued roughly 12,500 suspensions, a 14 percent decrease over the same period last year. If that trend continues, it will likely reverse a spike in suspensions last school year, which saw the first increase since Mayor Bill de Blasio took office in 2014.

During the first half of this school year, principal suspensions — which last five days or less and are issued for less serious offenses — decreased 12 percent. Superintendent suspensions, which cover more serious misbehavior and can last up to an entire school year, decreased 20 percent.

LaShawn Robinson, deputy chancellor for school climate and wellness, said the reduction in suspensions is connected to a wider effort to limit suspensions as the main way educators address misconduct.

“We’re looking at ways to keep children in learning environments while addressing their underlying needs,” she said.

The city’s statistics also show that average suspension lengths have fallen 30 percent in the first half of the school year, first reported by Chalkbeat on Monday.

Read the full article about New York City suspensions by Alex Zimmerman at Chalkbeat.