ALBANY, N.Y. — Taking kids out of school for minor or subjective reasons for months at a time isn't what many people want to see.

While many school districts have taken steps to fix things, there’s also a push to equalize the response across the state.

'Solutions not suspensions' is the goal of many advocates trying to tackle problems in schools.

“Statistics show that a student who gets suspended once is most likely to get suspended again," said Sen. April Baskin. "Statistics also show that students who drop out of school often have a history with missing school, and suspension plays a role in that.”

Those are issues that often plague students with disabilities and students of color disproportionately.

“In my district alone, Black students happened to be suspended in the Buffalo Public Schools system at a percentage rate of 82%," said Baskin. "They make up 82% of the suspensions, but they only make up 60% of the student population.”

Buffalo Public Schools has taken steps to lessen those numbers. It’s making a difference.

But this isn’t just a problem in one community.

“Our outdated school discipline policy is not working," said Assemblywoman Michaelle Solages. "It's creating almost like a school-to-prison pipeline where we are having kids not get the resources that they need.”

Solange sponsors the Solutions not Suspensions Act. Baskin is a co-sponsor of the bill in the state Senate.

“This bill supports there being intervention, not simply just keeping the kid at home,” Baskin said.

It restricts suspensions to a maximum of 180 days or an entire school year, limits suspensions for those pre-K through grade 3, and mandates suspended students receive out-of-school instruction, both for public and charter schools.

It takes some of the onus off school districts.

“We know that when some students misbehave, it could be due to mental health reasons, food insecurity, a whole host of reasons," said Solages. "We want to make sure we're tackling the root cause of the behavior, so we want to have a statewide policy.”

They're trying to stop a harmful cycle before it starts.

“Peer to peer counseling, professional counseling, or periodic parent conferences, instead of having a student stay out of school and have loss of learning,” explained Baskin.

The bill has been kicked around for a couple of years now. The biggest hurdle is funding for counselors, facilities, and training, but supporters say it’s worth it.

“Our students are having learning loss and they’re also perpetuating any mental health issues that they are facing," said Solages. "This policy will not only save money on the back end, but it will ensure that we’re having a more holistic conversation.”

With increasing support, eyes are on the clock.

“We have about 76 sponsors on the bill, and, in Albany, it's 76 votes that support the bill, so I think that we have a huge amount of momentum," said Solages. "It's something that I think we can get done.”

The bill remains in committee in both the Assembly and Senate.