Massachusetts Education Reforms Lead to Decline in School Suspensions, Rise in Emergency Removals
Massachusetts has seen a significant decline in out-of-school suspensions following the implementation of Chapter 222 in 2012, which aimed to reduce exclusionary discipline methods in schools. The law required due process and data reporting for student discipline, leading to a decrease in suspensions from nearly 28,500 in 2018 to less than 22,000 in 2025. However, emergency removals, which allow immediate student removal for severe behavior, have increased from 1,500 in 2018 to over 3,900 in 2025. This trend has raised concerns among racial justice and education advocates, who argue that schools may be using emergency removals to bypass suspension laws and avoid implementing alternative discipline methods. 
