Project ReACT: Neutralizing the Effects of Implicit Bias on Racial Disproportionality in School Discipline

The purpose of this project is to develop a professional development intervention (ReACT) to reduce racial/ethnic disproportionality in school discipline and special education referrals. Disproportionality in school discipline remains a long-term and pressing concern in education, and exclusionary discipline (e.g., suspensions, expulsions) exposes students to increased risk of academic failure, referrals for special education, and school dropout. Professional development is needed to help schools address these issues. Project ReACT will address this gap by developing a comprehensive program that is based on the promising theory of implicit bias in education (i.e., the unconscious attitudes or stereotypes that may affect teachers' understanding, action, and decision-making in schools) and provides educators with feasible strategies to increase equity in school discipline and special education referral decisions.

McIntosh, K., Girvan, E. J., Fairbanks Falcon, S., McDaniel, S. C., Smolkowski, K., Bastable, E., Santiago-Rosario, M. R., Izzard, S., Austin, S. C., Nese, R. N. T., & Baldy, T. S. (2021). An equity-focused PBIS approach reduces racial inequities in school discipline: A randomized controlled trial. School Psychology, 36(6), 433-444. https://doi.org/10.1037/spq0000466 (2021 Article of the Year)

McIntosh, K., Girvan, E. J., McDaniel, S. C., Santiago-Rosario, M. R., St. Joseph, S. D., Fairbanks Falcon, S., Izzard, S., & Bastable, E. (2021). Effects of an equity-focused PBIS approach to school improvement on exclusionary discipline and school climate. Preventing School Failure, 65(4), 354-361. https://doi.org/10.1080/1045988X.2021.1937027

Gion, C. M., McIntosh, K., & Falcon, S. F. (2022). Effects of a multicomponent classroom intervention on equity in school discipline. School Psychology Review, 51(1), 67-83. https://doi.org/10.1080/2372966X.2020.1788906