From Classroom to Advocacy: My Journey to Dismantle the School-to-Prison Pipeline

I first heard about the school-to-prison pipeline framework in the class Introduction to Social Work during my first semester at St. Edward’s University. The school-to-prison pipeline (STPP) refers to the policies and practices that push out historically underserved students from their classrooms and toward the juvenile and criminal justice system. I was shocked to learn about this happening in our schools.

The next semester, I took an entire course dedicated to exploring the history of the STPP and the structures that keep it in place. I collaborated with my professor and classmate on a virtual presentation at the Social Work and Law Symposium, where we shared some solutions to dismantling this framework on the three different levels of social work practice. Having gained a foundational understanding of the STPP, I searched for a way to make an even greater impact in protecting students from falling into the pipeline.

I found that opportunity as an intern with Texas Appleseed’s Education Justice Project, which is centered on dismantling the STPP. During my internship, I’ve learned from amazing policy experts, attorneys, and advocates about different components of the STPP that negatively impact student outcomes, such as disciplinary alternative education programs (DAEPs). Students who violate their school district’s code of conduct can be removed from their classrooms and sent to complete their coursework on DAEP campuses. Unfortunately, many of these “offenses” are discretionary and often target students of color, LGBTQ+ students, ESL students, and students with disabilities. According to Texas Education Agency (TEA) data from the 2023-2024 school year, Latino and Black children are subjected to DAEPs at rates disproportionately larger than their white peers.

Research suggests that, rather than help students regulate their behavior, improve their mental health, and develop the tools they need to successfully return to their classrooms, these programs cause significant harm and start them on a path toward the criminal justice system. DAEPs disrupt students’ regular classroom routines, isolate them from familiar teachers and peers, and remove their ability to participate in extracurricular activities. Additionally, DAEPs are often under-resourced and unable to provide adequate mental and behavioral health supports to address the root causes of students’ disciplinary issues. Students in DAEPs can fall behind academically, and without any formal transition planning back to their home campus, many have a difficult time reintegrating and are more likely to drop out. There is a well-established link between dropout rates and incarceration in Texas and nationally.

Early interventions that address students' challenges before DAEP placements occur could be truly life-changing. Mental health specialists employed by school districts can identify warning signs early, provide mental and behavioral health care, and keep students on a path to success. Because of the important role these faculty play in keeping students out of the school-to-prison pipeline, Texas Appleseed analyzed the allocation of staffing resources in school districts throughout Texas to determine whether districts were employing enough counselors, social workers, and psychologists. The report, Guarding Our Most Precious Resources: Comparing the Staffing of Counselors and Mental Health Professionals to Police in Texas Schools, was released in 2018, and I updated it this year with newer data to see if the student-to-mental health professionals ratios had changed.

The data I saw from 2018 was frustrating and disappointing. Across Texas, there were approximately 407 students enrolled for every counselor employed. The ideal ratio is 250 students to one counselor. Unfortunately, I found that the data from the 2023-24 school year was not much better. None of the ten largest school districts in the state meet the ideal counselor-to-student ratio. Several school districts, with student enrollment between 57,374 and 139,246, reported employing 10 or fewer social workers. Not only does this overburden school faculty, but it leaves students without the safeguards they need to stay on track.

There is one area in which Texas districts do tend to invest heavily: policing and security. The 2018 analysis of local data from 80 districts shows that their average student-to-police ratio is comparable to that of a mid-sized city, with some districts having more police officers than counselors. There are many risks associated with over-policing, including increased referrals to the juvenile and criminal justice systems for age-appropriate misbehavior. This perpetuates the STPP, putting students on track to enter the system early and unnecessarily.

The experiences and projects I’ve had during my internship emphasized the importance and urgency of dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline. While many associate social workers focus on direct service, I firmly believe that advocating for systemic change is equally vital. This work targets the challenges impacting entire communities and promotes social justice through policy reform that addresses the root causes of hardships faced by countless families and students. I’m now a senior in college, and looking back on my freshman year, I never would have thought that one class would lead me to such meaningful work for students and families throughout Texas.

As my colleagues and I delve into the 89th Texas legislative session, we call on the Legislature to take bold action: limit DAEP referrals and allocate resources to local education agencies to hire much-needed social workers. By empowering students to thrive in the public schools they deserve, we unlock their full potential and open the door to a brighter future for Texas.