Student Disciplinary Fairness Act of 2015

To amend the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to establish the Office of School Discipline Policy, and for other purposes. 1. Short title This Act may be cited as the Student Disciplinary Fairness Act of 2015 2. Findings Congress finds the following: (1) Too many juveniles are introduced to the formal criminal justice system for minor behavioral infractions at school. (2) Common behavioral infractions at school often result in suspension, expulsion, or incarceration of the juvenile students involved. (3) Zero-tolerance school discipline policies increase the number of incarcerated juveniles. (4) Research shows that juveniles who are incarcerated are significantly less likely to complete secondary school, experience less human capital development and diminished earnings potential, and are more likely to recidivate and be incarcerated as adults. 3. School Discipline Policy The Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 ( 42 U.S.C. 5601 et seq. VI School Discipline Policy 601. Establishment of office (a) In general There is hereby established within the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention an Office of School and Discipline Policy (referred to in this title as the Office (b) Purpose The purpose of the Office shall be to reduce the number of juveniles who are incarcerated and develop a criminal record based on activity that occurs while the juvenile is at school. 602. Duties The Office shall— (1) collect and publish data, in collaboration with the Office for Civil Rights of the Department of Education, relating to the arrest and incarceration of juvenile students for violations of school rules or policies; (2) work with States, units of local government, local educational agencies, and non-governmental organizations in order to expand the use of alternatives to detention and incarceration programming in schools in order to reduce the number of juvenile students who are arrested and incarcerated for violating school rules or policies; and (3) collect and publish data, in collaboration with the Office of Justice Programs, relating to the relationship between the presence of a school resource officer at a school and the rate of juvenile students who are arrested and incarcerated for violations of school rules or policies. 603. School Discipline Policy Grant Program (a) Grants authorized The Director may make grants to States, units of local government, and local educational agencies in order to further the purpose described in section 601(b). (b) Application A State, unit of local government, or local educational agency seeking a grant under this section shall submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may reasonably require. (c) Preference The Director shall give preference in awarding grants to an applicant that demonstrates that it has, at the time of submitting an application, begun to take steps to further the purpose described in section 601(b). (d) Uses of funds A State, unit of local government or local educational agency that receives a grant under this section shall use such funds for programs that reduce the rate of juvenile students who are arrested and incarcerated for violations of school rules or policies, and any other activity that the Director determines will further the purpose described in section 601(b). 604. Definitions In this title: (1) The term school 20 U.S.C. 7801 (2) The term school resource officer 42 U.S.C. 3796dd–8 (3) The term local educational agency 20 U.S.C. 7801 (4) The term juvenile student 605. Authorization of Appropriations There is authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 to carry out this title. . 4. Conditions for States to receive COPS on the beat Section 1702(c) of the Omnibus Crime Control and Safe Streets Act of 1968 is amended— (1) in paragraph (10), by striking and (2) in paragraph (11), by striking the period at the end and inserting ; and (3) by inserting after paragraph (11), the following new paragraph: (12) in the case of an applicant that is a State or unit of local government, provide assurances that— (A) the administration of juvenile justice in the applicant’s jurisdiction is consistent with any requirements of the United States Constitution and the 4th, 5th, and 14th amendments to the Constitution, including assurances that— (i) before a juvenile is arrested, the arresting law enforcement officer must have probable cause specific to that juvenile; and (ii) juveniles who are arrested must receive adequate procedural due process, including— (I) adequate and timely notice to the juvenile and the juvenile’s guardian regarding any court proceedings related to the incident for which the juvenile was arrested; (II) representation by an attorney in any court proceeding as a result of which the juvenile could face incarceration; (III) protections against self-incrimination; and (IV) an opportunity to cross-examine any witness testifying against the juvenile; and (B) any contract governing the terms of probation for a juvenile shall not contain any clauses that— (i) the juvenile cannot understand; and (ii) in the case of a juvenile student (as such term is defined in section 604 of the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974), could result in incarceration for violations of school rules or policies. . 5. Authority for the Attorney General to access certain records relating to juvenile justice Section 210401 of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 ( 42 U.S.C. 14141 (c) Access to certain records relating to juvenile justice The Attorney General may issue subpoenas requiring the production of any documents relating to any matter which the Attorney General is authorized to investigate under subsection (a). . 6. Department of Education grant program (a) Program authorized From the amounts appropriated to carry out this section, the Secretary of Education (acting through the Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education) shall make grants to eligible entities to fund training for school personnel in elementary schools and secondary schools on de-escalation techniques to teach the personnel procedures and tactics to mitigate delinquent student behavior which may avoid a referral to law enforcement officials. (b) Application To receive a grant under this section, an eligible entity shall submit an application to the Secretary of Education at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Secretary may require, including information that demonstrates that the eligible entity— (1) is fully compliant with all applicable Federal school discipline data reporting requirements, including, if applicable, the reporting requirements of section 618 of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act of 1965 ( 20 U.S.C. 1418(a) (2) has provided complete information to all applicable data surveys of Department of Education, including the Office for Civil Rights. (c) Limitation An elementary school or secondary school may only receive assistance under this section during a grant period from 1 eligible entity receiving a grant under this section during the grant period. (d) Definitions For purposes of this section: (1) Eligible entity The term eligible entity (2) General ESEA terms The terms elementary schools secondary schools State 20 U.S.C. 7801 (3) School personnel The term school personnel 20 U.S.C. 7161 (e) Authorization of appropriations There are authorized to be appropriated such sums as may be necessary for fiscal years 2014 and 2015 to carry out this section.

Summary: Student Disciplinary Fairness Act of 2015 This bill amends the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act of 1974 to establish an Office of School and Discipline Policy within the Department of Justice (DOJ). The Office must collect and publish data on the arrests or incarceration of juvenile students for violations of school rules or policies. It must also collaborate with states and local governments to expand alternatives to juvenile detention and incarceration. The legislation amends the Omnibus Crime Control and Streets Act of 1968 to require state or local governments that apply for public safety and community policing grants to provide assurances that the administration of juvenile justice in their jurisdictions is consistent with constitutional guarantees, including due process and equal protection, and that probation terms for a juvenile meet certain conditions. This bill amends the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to authorize DOJ to issue subpoenas during investigations of law enforcement agencies for alleged patterns or practices of conduct that violate constitutional rights. The Office of Civil Rights of the Department of Education must make grants to states, local governments, and juvenile justice agencies to train elementary and secondary school teachers and administrators on de-escalation techniques to mitigate delinquent student behavior.