Minneapolis Schools to Review Certain Suspensions

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) - The Minneapolis school district plans to make suspending students of color more difficult.

Starting Monday, every suspension of black, American Indian or Hispanic students will now be reviewed by Superintendent Bernadeia Johnson's leadership team.

Earlier this year, Johnson placed a moratorium on suspensions of pre-kindergarteners, kindergarteners and first-graders.

Johnson says the moratorium has helped reduce suspensions by 50 percent.

Reports say the superintendent now wants to reduce suspensions by another 50 percent by 2016 by having her team review each suspension of students of color.

Johnson says the move is aimed at helping the district achieve its goal of closing the achievement gap by 2020.