School to Prison Pipeline

The School to Prison Pipeline is a nationwide system of local, state and federal education and public safety policies that pushes students out of school and into the criminal justice system. This system disproportionately targets youth of color and youth with disabilities. Inequities in areas such as school discipline, policing practices, high-stakes testing and the prison industry contribute to the pipeline.

The School to Prison Pipeline operates directly and indirectly. Schools directly send students into the pipeline through zero tolerance policies that involve the police in minor incidents and often lead to arrests, juvenile detention referrals, and even criminal charges and incarceration. Schools indirectly push students towards the criminal justice system by excluding them from school through suspension, expulsion, discouragement and high stakes testing requirements.

Get Informed

• Fact Sheet
• Student Safety In New York City By The Numbers
• Know Your Rights: Students' Rights and Responsibilities when Facing a Suspension
• Know Your Rights with Police in Schools

Get Involved

• Support the Student Safety Act
• The Student Safety Coalition
• Trainings and Workshops