(DNAINFO)  Amy Zimmer | April 1, 2016 — The number of suspensions at city public schools continued to drop, falling by nearly 32 percent, according to Department of Education data from July through December of 2015 released Thursday.

Notably, there was an 81 percent drop in suspensions for the controversial category classified as B21, or “defying authority,” which many advocacy groups believed had been abused as a catchall for principals to invoke when such harsh discipline may not have been merited.

The drop to about 12,700 suspensions was a direct result of changes the DOE implemented last year as well as additional support and training sessions, such as de-escalation training, therapeutic crisis interventions and collaborative problem solving.

Source: NYC Public School Suspensions Drop 32 Percent, City Says – Hunts Point – DNAinfo.com New York