Student Discipline Definitions

The school or district may require a behavior agreement or safety plan in response to behavior violations.  Such plans may include actions such as check-ins with staff, bag or backpack searches, or other actions that the school believes will enhance the safety of students and result in reducing future violations. Such agreements or plans should be shared with students and parents/guardians, but neither the student nor the parent/guardian is required to agree to the agreement or plan.    

The school or district may administer discipline for behavioral violations that occur after entering into a behavior agreement or safety plan. 

Behavioral violation means a student’s behavior that violates the district’s discipline policy and procedure.

Classroom exclusion means the exclusion of a student from a classroom or instructional or activity area for behavioral violations.  Classroom exclusion does not include actions that result in missed instruction when the teacher or other staff is supporting the student in meeting behavioral expectations and the student is under the supervision of the teacher or other staff.  Classroom exclusion also does not include times when a student removes themselves for self-regulation or when a student is removed as outlined in their behavior plan.

• Any certificated staff or administrator may remove a student from the classroom or instructional or activity area for violations of the district’s code of conduct
• Some other type of discipline must be attempted first, unless the student’s presence poses an immediate and continuing danger or an immediate and continuing threat of substantial disruption
• Removals may be administered for some or all of the school day; if longer than one school day the school must provide notice and due process for a suspension
• The person who removed the student must report the removal to the principal/designee as soon as possible, or immediately if the removal was because of danger or threat of substantial disruption
• The parent must be notified as soon as possible
• If the removal was for danger or threat of substantial disruption the principal/designee must meet with the student as soon as reasonably possible and decide next steps
• In no event without the consent of the teacher may an excluded student return to the class during the balance of that class or activity period or up to the following two days, unless the Principal/designee and the teacher have conferred

Culturally responsive means that the plan includes knowledge of student cultural histories and contexts, as well as family norms and values in different cultures; knowledge and skills in accessing community resources and community and parent outreach; and skills in adapting instruction to students' experiences and identifying cultural contexts for individual students.

Discipline means any action taken by a school district in response to behavioral violations. 

No discipline may be administered in a manner that results in a student having a meal delayed or denied.  However, a school can require that a student take their meal in an alternative location.

Disruption of the Educational Process means the interruption of classwork, the creation of disorder, or the invasion of the rights of a student or group of students.

Emergency removal means the removal of a student from school because the student's presence poses an immediate and continuing danger to other students or school personnel, or an immediate and continuing threat of material and substantial disruption of the educational process.

•  Can be used K-12
•  Can only be used if there is a good and sufficient reason to believe that the student’s presence poses an immediate and continuing danger to other students or school staff or an immediate and continuing threat of substantial disruption of the educational process
•  A maximum of 10 school days; emergency removal must be ended when the danger or threat has stopped; ER can end and another form of consequence applied (for example:  fire alarm is pulled; 3 students are ER’d during the investigation; investigation ends after 2 days with a determination that Student A pulled the alarm; ERs should be ended for all 3 students; Student A may receive additional consequences other than ER); ER must end or be converted to something else within 10 days.

Expulsion means a denial of admission to the student's current school placement in response to a behavioral violation.  An expulsion may also include denial of admission to, or entry upon, real and personal property that is owned, leased, rented or controlled by the district.

• One calendar year expulsion required for any student K-12 who brings or possesses a firearm or gun on campus, at a school activity, or on transportation; expulsion is from every school in the state
• All other expulsions limited to 90 school days; expulsion is only from the school where the incident occurred
• Other than expulsions for a firearm, expulsions may not cross academic years unless a petition to extend the expulsion has been granted.
• Expulsions are only allowed for the items noted in the matrix
• Expelled students may apply to the Superintendent at any time for early readmission
• K-4 students cannot be expelled except for a firearm/gun

Interventions are intentional, instructional and/or behavioral responses designed to modify or correct student actions or conduct while keeping the student in school and learning. The continuum of interventions can range from a quick check-in at the start of the day to behavioral coaching, implementing restorative practices, or in-school suspension where the student receives direct instruction designed to moderate their behavior and redress harm. Interventions should be documented to ensure that trends can be tracked and successful interventions can be transferred to other schools.  Exclusionary discipline, such as an out-of-school suspension, is not considered an intervention.

Readmission is a process by which a student who has been suspended or expelled applies to return to school before the end of their suspension or expulsion.  See the Readmission Process tab for more information 

Reengagement meeting 

Schools are required to hold a re-engagement meeting for students who have been long-term suspended or expelled, to discuss a plan to reengage the student in a school program.  The meeting should be held within 20 calendar days of the start of the long-term suspension or expulsion but must be held not less than five (5) days before the student’s reentry or enrollment. 

The reengagement plan should be tailored to the student’s individual circumstances, including consideration of the incident that led to the student’s long-term suspension or expulsion. The plan should aid the student in taking the necessary steps to remedy the situation that led to the suspension or expulsion.  Additionally, the school will take reasonable steps to develop the plan with the participation and input of the student and his/her parents/guardians to ensure that it is culturally sensitive and culturally responsive. 

When developing the reengagement plan the school should consider the nature and circumstances that led to the suspension or expulsion; student cultural history and context, family cultural norms and values, community resources, and community and parent outreach; shortening the length of time that the student is suspended or expelled; providing supports to keep the student  engaged and on track to graduate; and supporting the student, parent/guardian, or school personnel to remedy the circumstances that resulted in the suspension or expulsion and preventing similar actions from reoccurring.  A reengagement meeting does not replace an appeal or a petition for readmission. 

Reengagement plan means a culturally responsive written plan developed between the district and a student and his/her parent/guardian, which is designed to aid the student in taking the necessary steps to remedy the situation that led to the student’s suspension or expulsion and to return the student to the educational setting as soon as possible.  Parents/guardians must have access to, provide meaningful input on, and have the opportunity to participate in the student’s reengagement plan.  

School business day means any calendar day except Saturdays, Sundays and any federal, state or school holiday when the office of the Superintendent is open to the public for business. A school business day ends when the Superintendent’s office closes for the day.

School day means any day or partial day that students are in attendance at school for instructional purposes.

Suspension means the denial of attendance for a behavioral violation for any single subject or class or for any partial or full schedule of subjects or classes for a stated period of time.  Suspension may also include denial of admission to, or entry upon, real and personal property that is owned, leased, rented or controlled by the district.

• In-school suspension means an official suspension that is served within the school building, allowing a student to continue to access educational services.  In-school suspensions may only be short-term (maximum of 10 days).
• Out-of-school suspension means an official suspension that is served by excluding the student from the school building, school activities, and other district properties.  Out-of-school suspensions may be either short-term or long-term
• Short-term suspension means suspension for any portion of a calendar day up to and not exceeding ten (10) consecutive school days.
  • Grades K-4 limited to 10 days total/semester, cannot lose grades or credit
  • Grades 5-12 limited to 15 days total/semester
  • Students who qualify for special education services or 504 plan or have been referred for evaluation must have a manifestation determination not later than the 10^th cumulative day of suspension
• Long-term suspension means a suspension that exceeds ten (10) consecutive school days.  A long-term suspension may not exceed the length of one academic term and may not be imposed for any infraction not included in this procedure in the section titled Long-Term Suspensions & Expulsions—Authorized by the State.
  • At grades 5-12 cannot lose more than one semester’s/trimester’s worth of grades/credit
  • At least 10 but not more than 90 days; LTS cannot cross academic years but can cross semesters/trimesters
  • Students who qualify for special education services or have been referred for evaluation must have a manifestation determination not later than the 10^th day of suspension
  • LTS are only allowed for the items noted in the matrix included under each “Student Conduct Violation”