Education Department Directs Schools on Race-Based Discipline Practices

Why it matters locally: This federal directive could prompt South Dakota school districts to review and potentially adjust their student disciplinary policies to ensure compliance with the new guidance regarding race-based practices.

The U.S. Education Department, under the Trump administration, has issued new guidance to schools concerning student discipline. The department advises schools to stop factoring race into their disciplinary protocols. This directive addresses a long-standing discussion regarding how schools implement disciplinary measures and the role, if any, that race plays in those decisions.