Addressing the hidden costs of preschool soft expulsions: Examining racial and disability inequities in early childhood exclusion

Abstract

Soft expulsion, the unofficial removal of children from preschool due to perceived behavioral challenges, disproportionately affects children from marginalized communities, particularly those receiving special education services. Practices such as frequent early pick-up requests or suggestions that a program is not a “good fit” reflect systemic inequities, including implicit bias, insufficient trauma-informed training, and structural racism. Black boys and children with disabilities experience these exclusionary practices at higher rates, leading to long-term social-emotional and academic harm. Grounded in critical race theory, this paper critiques colorblind ideologies that obscure racialized and ableist discipline practices, perpetuating the ordinariness of racism in early learning. It examines how soft expulsions disrupt developmental trajectories and limit access to foundational learning experiences. This paper calls for anti-racist reforms, including policy changes, comprehensive anti-bias training, and resource reallocation to address these inequities. It advocates for culturally responsive, trauma-informed teaching and critiques accountability systems that fail to track soft expulsions. Policy recommendations include mandatory data collection, expanded mental health support, and restructuring teacher education to incorporate anti-racist and anti-ableist curricula. This work contributes to the broader discourse on equity in early childhood education, urging systemic change to ensure all children have access to inclusive, supportive learning environments.