Research Question
How do zero-tolerance discipline policies and discretionary categories change educational outcomes in K-12 schools?
Methods / Evidence
The project uses policy analysis, secondary research, legal and institutional context, and academic source synthesis to connect discipline rules with student outcomes.
Key Argument
Suspension reaches beyond missed classroom days: lost instructional time, unequal educational trajectories, economic costs, and civil-rights concerns.
Reflection
I began with suspension as a school-level punishment. The California suspension rate and the national racial breakdown pushed the paper toward institutional costs: lost class time, alternative-school placement, and civil-rights concerns. TODO: add one sentence on professor feedback or the main argument revision.