New California bill would ban suspensions and expulsions in preschool

Assemblywoman Blanca Rubio, D-Baldwin Park, has introduced legislation, Assembly Bill 1361, to prohibit suspension and expulsion in state-subsidized preschool and childcare programs and to provide educators with access to mental health consultations. In keeping with the Governor’s Master Plan, this bill addresses what some early childhood advocates refer to as the “preschool-to-prison pipeline.” 

Children in preschool are at an age when struggling to regulate their emotions is a developmentally appropriate part of growing up. And yet preschoolers are expelled at rates three times higher than children in the K-12 system, according to a report from the Children’s Equity Project, a research organization at Arizona State University. To make matters worse, experts say this harsh punishment in early education disproportionately impacts children of color.

The key is that severe discipline at such early ages can have lasting consequences. Research suggests that children who are suspended in preschool are more likely to drop out of high school and become incarcerated, according to the Center for American Progress, a public policy research and advocacy organization.

“As a former teacher myself, I believe we need to ensure all our children are given a fair opportunity to succeed in their earliest school years,” Rubio said in a statement. “This bill helps address structural inequities in our early childhood education system by not only prohibiting suspensions and expulsions, but also by providing needed support to staff. I look forward to working with my colleagues and the administration on advancing this crucial piece of legislation for our children.”