Ther district patterned the revisions after guidelines created by the federal departments of education and justice. Infractions are divided into discipline problems and illegal actions calling for police or legal intervention. Broken Arrow has spent the past three years working on safety and code of conduct policies. The one area of emphasis for Broken Arrow and other districts is alternative education over suspension. The state law has changed on suspensions and alternative education every year for the last five years.
Schools now have the option of sending a student to alternative education before suspension.
Lealon Taylor, chief of staff with the state Department of Education, said the law was changed to make suspension a last resort so students could still be punished for conduct but not for academics. That's where the alternative education wave came in. Suspensions were used for students who shouldn't be suspended. Schools are also required to continue to provide for a student's education even if the student is sent home. There is little discretion under the law if the student is suspended for five days or more.