Exclusionary discipline in Iowa childcare centers: an exploratory study of disparities and systemic factors

This study examined child-, center-, and systemic-level factors associated with the use of exclusionary discipline (i.e., suspension and expulsion) among children ages birth to 5-years in Iowa's private childcare centers. I surveyed 818 center directors with publicly available email addresses in Iowa, with a response rate of 51% (N=421). Results demonstrate strong associations at all levels. First, child-level factors demonstrated alarming disparities: Black children, children using childcare subsidies, and children aged 5-years were about 3, 2.5, and 4.2 times more likely to be suspended or expelled compared to their peers. Second, center-level factors demonstrated higher odds of exclusionary discipline use in centers that were for-profit and participating in childcare assistance programs. Finally, systemic-level factors demonstrated a strong association between center directors’ beliefs about discipline and worries about staffing shortages with the use of exclusionary discipline. Directors with high power and control beliefs about discipline had higher odds of using suspension or expulsion, as did directors with increased worries about staffing shortages. These findings highlight the urgent need for interventions to address racial, socioeconomic, and age-based inequities in childcare discipline, as well as innovative approaches to solving childcare workforce issues related to staffing.