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Dear Reader,

At The Hechinger Report, we care about what happens to students in schools.

In much of the country, including Arizona, schools are free to punish most students for missing learning time by forcing them to miss even more. Yet the scope of that practice is largely hidden: The federal government doesn’t collect detailed data on why schools suspend students, and most states don’t either.

That's why we created a first-of-its-kind database of suspensions for attendance violations in Arizona. I worked with Fazil Khan, our data reporter, and Maria Polletta of the Arizona Center for Investigative Reporting, to identify nearly 47,000 suspensions across 150-plus school districts for minor infractions like tardiness or unexcused absences over a five-year period. 

And we are already seeing results:

Our investigation into how some schools in Arizona suspend students for poor attendance prompted one lawmaker to immediately draft legislation that would prohibit educators from using this punishment.

The legislation received bipartisan support and was approved by a legislative committee. It didn't make it any further this session but is expected to be reintroduced next year.
 
Your donation will help us to continue to dedicate the time, resources and expertise needed to investigate and report on these crucial issues, ultimately making a positive impact on the lives of students, educators and communities across the country.
Please join us in this important work.
Your donation will make a difference. 
Thank you,

Tara García Mathewson
Senior Reporter and Languages Editor, The Hechinger Report
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The Hechinger Report is an independent unit of Teachers College, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Donations made to The Hechinger Report are tax-deductible. To make a donation, click here.

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