Corporal Punishment in Arkansas Public Schools: A Mixed Methods Analysis

Objective: Despite decades of evidence documenting the harm of corporal punishment (CP), the practice remains legal in Arkansas public schools. This study examined how CP is authorized, implemented, and justified across Arkansas school districts and whether districts permitting CP differed in rates of exclusionary discipline. Method: A mixed-methods study was conducted using publicly available policy documents and administrative data from all 237 traditional Arkansas public school districts during the 2022-2023 academic year. School district policies were systematically reviewed to determine where corporal punishment was authorized and to characterize key policy features. Administrative data were used to describe the prevalence of corporal punishment and compare rates of detentions, suspensions, and expulsions between districts that permitted and prohibited the practice. Finally, a directed qualitative content analysis examined how corporal punishment was justified, framed, and maintained through district policy language. Results: Corporal punishment was permitted in 171 (72.2%) public school districts in Arkansas. During the 2022-2023 school year, Arkansas public schools reported 5,308 incidents of corporal punishment. Rates of detentions, suspensions, and expulsions did not differ significantly between districts that permitted and prohibited corporal punishment. Qualitative content analysis identified five themes illustrating how district policies justify and institutionalize corporal punishment through policy language. Conclusions: CP in Arkansas public schools is maintained through district policies that normalize physical punishment while providing limited procedural protections for children and families. Findings highlight misalignment between school district policies, child maltreatment research, and state commitments to safe and supportive school environments.