2021 Inclusive Education Forum

The 2021 Inclusive Education Forum took place on 17 September 2021 and was hosted by The Centre for Inclusive Education (C4IE) .

The forum explored the topic of Reducing Exclusion through Inclusive School Reform.

Known “push-out” and “school-to-prison pipeline” effects should make exclusionary school discipline a tool of absolute last resort, especially when it comes to students in priority equity groups: students with disability, students from disadvantaged or minority backgrounds, and those living in out-of-home care. This has been recognised in the United States where multiple public school systems—including Chicago Public Schools and the Los Angeles Unified Schools District—have implemented systemic reforms to reduce the use of exclusionary discipline through deep policy/practice change supported by coherent prevention and intervention frameworks. There is robust evidence these reforms have significantly reduced suspension and exclusion rates, while also improving safety, school connectedness, and academic outcomes. Australia is in the fortunate position of being able to learn from successful overseas reforms, but we must first understand the local contours of this problem. With presentations from expert educators and scholars, this C4IE Forum examined suspension and exclusion in Queensland as a first step to identifying the need for and necessary features of national inclusive school reform.