Current data indicates that Michigan students lost 251,410 days of instruction due to suspensions and expulsions in 2010-2011. In addition, there is significant disproportion in discipline rates for students with disabilities in specific racial and ethnic groups. In response, the Michigan Department of Education (MDE), Office of Special Education (OSE) is focusing efforts on improving significant disproportionality for discipline over the next five years.

A new Focus on Results by the Center for Educational Networking (CEN) highlights the proposed efforts and next steps toward the goal to eliminate the risk of Black students with IEPs ages 3-21 being disciplined at a significantly higher rate.