Why are preschoolers facing the highest rates of suspension and expulsion?

By Katherine Pears, PhD. and Miriam Clark, PhD., Oregon Social Learning Center, and Lorelei Mitchell, PhD., Portland State University 

Early educators are under pressure and children are paying the price

When the public thinks about school suspension or expulsion, they typically imagine teenagers. But our new research helps shed light on why the youngest learners — preschoolers ages 0 to 5 — are more likely to be suspended or expelled from early childhood care than school-aged students in K–12 education.

Although preschool suspension and expulsion have been documented for years, the reasons behind the practice remain less clear. Our new study draws on a statewide survey of directors and owners of early childhood education and care programs in Oregon, looking to identify 12 possible predictors of the use of suspension and expulsion in early childhood education settings.¹

According to early childhood experts, suspension and expulsion in early childhood education settings carry significant consequences. Young children lose access to critical early learning experiences, while parents may be forced to miss work to arrange emergency care. Families can additionally experience shame or confusion when asked to leave a program. Data also show inequities: African American or Black children, American Indian or Alaska Native children, and children with disabilities face disproportionately high suspension and expulsion rates.

Provider stress emerges as a key factor

Our findings reinforce a pattern seen across earlier research: childcare providers who experience high levels of stress are significantly more likely to suspend or expel a child. Because this trend has been found repeatedly, it underscores the urgent need to support the well‑being of early educators. 

Efforts such as training in handling challenging behaviors, mindfulness exercises, and mentoring have been tested, but our study suggests these efforts alone may not be enough. Put simply, professional development opportunities and supports cannot substitute for basic needs; the inverse also holds true — professional development opportunities are much more likely to be effective when basic needs are met. 

Providers work long hours, perform physically strenuous tasks, and carry significant emotional responsibility. Many also support children with increasingly complex behavioral or developmental needs. Despite these demands, early educators remain among the lowest‑paid workers in the United States.

The profession is often dismissed or reduced to “babysitting,” even though early educators provide essential developmental support during a period of rapid brain development. We argue that improving pay, working conditions, and public respect for early educators is foundational to reducing stress, and that professional development cannot substitute for meeting basic needs.