Consistent application everywhere and to everyone in the school system. From the classroom to the central office and from the playground to the school bus, enforcement of the code must be uniform. For this reason, a district-wide policy is generally more effective than asking individual schools to each pass their own policy. Supplements or amplifications of the code at specific sites can address unique circumstances at particular schools. What is more difficult than applying the code everywhere in the district is applying the code equally to everyone in the district.
Federal laws mandate some restrictions on sanctions that can apply to disabled students.
It is vital, both to prevent lawsuits based on disparity of treatment and to deal effectively with special education students, that to the extent possible disabled students be treated the same as all other students. School officials should not shy away from applying the code as fully as possible to disabled students. The federal restrictions are not absolute, and for the most part, the full range of sanctions that apply to non-disabled students will apply to students with disabilities. Exceptions only emerge when it is recommended that special education students be removed from school for extended periods of time or when it is determined that the misbehavior is a manifestation of the students disability. Because of the complexities involved in applying discipline procedures to special education students, schools should provide a separate document detailing the process to be used with them.