Suspensions fell sharply last school year, largely because few schools handed them out when campuses were shuttered due to the coronavirus.

In total, suspensions dropped to 18,215 during the 2019-20 school year, down about 45% from 32,801 the previous school year, according to annual data the education department released Tuesday.

Suspensions from New York City public schools have fallen significantly in recent years, though Black students remain far more likely than their peers to be disciplined. Education department officials have attributed the overall decline in suspensions to discipline reforms, as well as an emphasis on restorative justice practices, which emphasize repairing harm instead of issuing punishment, and social-emotional learning.

The newly released data, however, represents a markedly steeper drop, which some discipline reform advocates say is good news. But they also cautioned against drawing conclusions based on year-over-year comparisons, given the unprecedented circumstances last school year.

During remote learning in the spring, schools handed out just six principal suspensions, which are less severe and can last for up to six days. During that period, there were no superintendent suspensions, which are more serious and can range from a few days to an entire school year. (New York City public schools averaged 3,644 suspensions a month during the 2018-2019 academic year.)

Read the full article about suspension numbers during remote learning by Reema Amin at New York Chalkbeat.