Expulsion from Community Childcare: Predictors and Patterns Across Time

This study examined expulsion predictors and patterns across time. An anonymous online survey was completed by 233 participants, primarily program directors (87.6%), from across the state predominantly suburban areas and families of diverse income levels. Email invitations were sent to 2,035 licensed childcare centers, resulting in 233 completed surveys. Most participants (61.4%) reported suspending children and a total of 214 suspensions were reported for reasons such as hurting others or challenging behaviors. For expulsions, 37.8% of participants had expelled children, citing similar reasons as suspensions. A total of 163 expulsions were reported. When combining suspension and expulsion data, 33% of programs had neither suspended nor expelled a child, while others had either suspended, expelled, or both. Despite these high rates, 57.4% reported having access to support for challenging behaviors, primarily from mental health professionals, colleagues, and local public schools. Significant predictors of suspension included support availability and suburban location, while only support availability predicted expulsion. Finally, when examining patterns over time, suspension rates increased, with significant changes noted between 2018 and 2024. Expulsion rates also varied, with notable increases between 2022 and 2024. Results of this study suggest that suspension and expulsion continue to be problematic in early learning setting, and that a decrease that was seen during the COVID-19 pandemic is no longer evident.