AERA 2026: Harsher Punishments, Lesser Infractions - Disciplinary Injustice for Native American Students

Presentation at the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Annual Meeting

Date: Saturday, April 11, 2026
Time: 9:45 AM to 11:15 AM PDT (12:45 PM to 2:15 PM EDT)
Location: JW Marriott Los Angeles L.A. LIVE, 4th Floor, Diamond 2

Abstract

Exclusionary discipline disproportionately affects youth of color, but Indigenous student experiences remain underexplored. Using 2019-2020 New Mexico K-12 data, we applied random intercept multilevel modeling to examine the impact of race and infraction severity on odds of receiving harsh discipline (out-of-school suspension, justice system referral) versus in-school suspension.

Key Findings:

• White students had 20% lower odds (p = .003) of receiving harsh discipline compared to Native American students
• While odds of harsh discipline increased for all students as infraction severity increased, odds of receiving harsh discipline declined more sharply for White, Black, and Latine students compared to Native American students as infraction severity decreased
• Native American students faced harsher consequences for less serious infractions, underscoring the need for equity-focused discipline reform

This research highlights critical disparities in school discipline practices and calls for systemic reform to ensure equitable treatment of Indigenous students in New Mexico public schools.

Authors: Allie Watson-Grace, Hannah Yang, and Dr. Gia Barboza-Salerno

This manuscript is currently under review at AERA Open.