COLUMBIA, S.C. — Several state agencies testified before the South Carolina Children's Committee this week, underscoring the critical importance of keeping children in school even when they misbehave.
According to data from the U.S. Department of Education, South Carolina has the country's highest rate of preschool suspensions.
The State Department of Education said that 515 preschool students faced suspension from 2021 to 2022. However, advocates argue that this figure may underestimate the true extent of the issue.
Jennifer Rainville, an education policy attorney from S.C. Appleseed Legal Justice Center, emphasized the severe consequences for children suspended or expelled.
"Children who face such disciplinary measures are 10 times more likely to drop out before completing high school, experience academic failure, face grade retention, and, inevitably, confront incarceration," said Rainville.
Notably, children with disabilities and African-American children bear the brunt of these suspensions. Common reasons cited include disrupting class, hitting, kicking, biting, and engaging in other inappropriate behavior.
Senator Brad Hutto from Orangeburg County expressed his concern, stating, "Each one of these children is special to the state of South Carolina. Each one deserves our attention, and suspension at this level is really, in my book, not an option."
Notably absent from the reported data are soft expulsions – actions by preschools that make it difficult for families to keep bringing their children, ultimately forcing them to withdraw.
Randall Dong, a representative of Disability Rights S.C., expressed concern.
"We don't know where South Carolina stands in terms of comparison to other states because the counts are faulty," he said.
Advocates are urging legislation to define expulsions and suspensions accurately and provide more precise data tracking. Additionally, they emphasize the need for increased resources for children to undergo evaluations for Individual Education Programs (IEPs).
"Even the best, most educated, most informed parents still struggle with getting timely evaluations from the school district because there's just not enough resources," Rainville said.
Currently, 16 states have policies that limit or prohibit the use of suspension and expulsions in preschools.