School Suspensions Drop In Montgomery County

ROCKVILLE, Md. (AP) -- High school suspensions in Montgomery County have dropped nearly 37 percent in the past school year.

Local media partners report the drop in suspensions happened amid efforts to use alternatives to out-of-school punishment and reduce racial disparities in discipline.

Newly released figures show that suspension in the county's 25 high schools dropped from 2,263 in the 2012-2013 school year to 1,432.

Suspensions involving black and Hispanic students fell by more than 600. However, new figures show that while the gap has narrowed, suspensions of minority students continue to occur in disproportionate numbers.

The Maryland State Board of Education adopted sweeping changes in discipline regulations in January. Those changes came after a four-year effort to increase fairness and keep more students in school and on track to graduate.