The Pyramid Model and Equity
Suspension and expulsion remove young children from the very environments designed to support their growth—often in response to behavior that reflects unmet needs rather than intentional misconduct. These practices also fall unevenly across groups, with children of color and children with disabilities disproportionately affected. This collection offers definitions, data, and guidance to help programs understand the scope of the issue, navigate the federal policy response, and apply multi-tiered systems of support like the Pyramid Model to prevent suspension and expulsion and promote more equitable outcomes for every child.
Supporting Resources
All items in this section are listed below.
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Defining Suspension and Expulsion
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The Pyramid Equity Project
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Expelling Expulsion: Using the Pyramid Model to Prevent Suspensions, Expulsions, and Disciplinary Inequities in Early Childhood Programs
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US Department of Health and Human Services, US Department of Education: Policy Statement on Expulsion and Suspension Policies in Early Childhood Settings
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Talking to Very Young Children about Race
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Talking to Very Young Children about Race (Spanish)
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Pyramid Model PROGRAM Leadership Team Guidance for Preventing the Use of Suspension and Expulsion and Promoting Equitable, Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Practice
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Pyramid Model STATE Leadership Team Guidance for Preventing the Use of Suspension and Expulsion and Promoting Equitable, Inclusive and Culturally Responsive Practice
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Reducing Suspension and Expulsion Practices in Early Childhood Settings
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