Source: http://fertilebeltrami.k12.mn.us/Website/pages/School%20District/Policy%20Handbook/506.htm
Timestamp: 2019-04-23 04:05:42+00:00

Document:
The school board recognizes that individual responsibility and mutual respect are essential components of the educational process. The school board further recognizes that nurturing the maturity of each student is of primary importance and is closely linked with the balance that must be maintained between authority and self-discipline as the individual progresses from a child’s dependence on authority to the more mature behavior of self-control.
All students are entitled to learn and develop in a setting which promotes respect of self, others, and property. Proper positive discipline can only result from an environment which provides options and stresses student self-direction, decision-making, and responsibility. Schools can function effectively only with internal discipline based on mutual understanding of rights and responsibilities.
Although this policy emphasizes the development of self-discipline, it is recognized that there are instances when it will be necessary to administer disciplinary measures. The position of the school district is that a fair and equitable district-wide student discipline policy will contribute to the quality of the student’s educational experience. This discipline policy is adopted in accordance with and subject to the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, Minn. Stat. §§ 121A.40-121A.56.
In view of the foregoing and in accordance with Minn. Stat. § 121A.55, the school board, with the participation of school district administrators, teachers, employees, students, parents, community members, and such other individuals and organizations as appropriate, has developed this policy which governs student conduct and applies to all students of the school district.
A.	The School Board. The school board holds all school personnel responsible for the maintenance of order within the school district and supports all personnel acting within the framework of this discipline policy.
B.	Superintendent. The superintendent shall establish guidelines and directives to carry out this policy, hold all school personnel, students, and parents responsible for conforming to this policy, and support all school personnel performing their duties within the framework of this policy. The superintendent shall also establish guidelines and directives for using the services of appropriate agencies for assisting students and parents. Any guidelines or directives established to implement this policy shall be submitted to the school board for approval and shall be attached as an addendum to this policy.
C.	Principal. The school principal is given the responsibility and authority to formulate building rules and regulations necessary to enforce this policy, subject to final school board approval. The principal shall give direction and support to all school personnel performing their duties within the framework of this policy. The principal shall consult with parents of students conducting themselves in a manner contrary to the policy. The principal shall also involve other professional employees in the disposition of behavior referrals and shall make use of those agencies appropriate for assisting students and parents. A principal, in exercising his or her lawful authority, may use reasonable force when it is necessary under the circumstances to correct or restrain a student or prevent bodily harm or death to another.
D.	Teachers. All teachers shall be responsible for providing a well-planned teaching/learning environment and shall have primary responsibility for student conduct, with appropriate assistance from the administration. All teachers shall enforce the Code of Student Conduct. In exercising the teacher’s lawful authority, a teacher may use reasonable force when it is necessary under the circumstances to correct or restrain a student or prevent bodily harm or death to another.
E.	Other School District Personnel. All school district personnel shall be responsible for contributing to the atmosphere of mutual respect within the school. Their responsibilities relating to student behavior shall be as authorized and directed by the superintendent. A school employee, school bus driver, or other agent of a school district, in exercising his or her lawful authority, may use reasonable force when it is necessary under the circumstances to restrain a student or prevent bodily harm or death to another.
F.	Parents or Legal Guardians. Parents and guardians shall be held responsible for the behavior of their children as determined by law and community practice. They are expected to cooperate with school authorities and to participate regarding the behavior of their children.
G.	Students. All students shall be held individually responsible for their behavior and for knowing and obeying the Code of Student Conduct and this policy.
H.	Community Members. Members of the community are expected to contribute to the establishment of an atmosphere in which rights and duties are effectively acknowledged and fulfilled.
N.	To recognize and respect the rights of others.
A.	The following are examples of unacceptable behavior subject to disciplinary action by the school district. These examples are not intended to be an exclusive list. Any student who engages in any of these activities shall be disciplined in accordance with this policy. This policy applies to all school buildings, school grounds, and school property or property immediately adjacent to school grounds; school-sponsored activities or trips; school bus stops; school buses, school vehicles, school contracted vehicles, or any other vehicles approved for school district purposes; the area of entrance or departure from school premises or events; and all school-related functions, school-sponsored activities, events, or trips. School district property also may mean a student’s walking route to or from school for purposes of attending school or school-related functions, activities, or events. While prohibiting unacceptable behavior subject to disciplinary action at these locations and events, the school district does not represent that it will provide supervision or assume liability at these locations and events. This policy also applies to any student whose conduct at any time or in any place interferes with or obstructs the mission or operations of the school district or the safety or welfare of the student, other students, or employees.
45.	Other acts, as determined by the school district, which are disruptive of the educational process or dangerous or detrimental to the student or other students, school district personnel or surrounding persons, or which violate the rights of others or which damage or endanger the property of the school, or which otherwise interferes with or obstruct the mission or operations of the school district or the safety or welfare of students or employees.
B.	Confiscation by school district personnel and/or by law enforcement of any item, article, object, or thing, prohibited by, or used in the violation of, any school district policy, rule, regulation, procedure, or state or federal law. If confiscated by the school district, the confiscated item, article, object, or thing will be released only to the parent/guardian following the completion of any investigation or disciplinary action instituted or taken related to the violation.
U.	Other disciplinary action as deemed appropriate by the school district.
A.	Teachers have the responsibility of attempting to modify disruptive student behavior by such means as conferring with the student, using positive reinforcement, assigning detention or other consequences, or contacting the student’s parents. When such measures fail, or when the teacher determines it is otherwise appropriate based upon the student’s conduct, the teacher shall have the authority to remove the student from class pursuant to the procedures established by this discipline policy. “Removal from class” and “removal” mean any actions taken by a teacher, principal, or other school district employee to prohibit a student from attending a class or activity period for a period of time not to exceed five (5) days, pursuant to this discipline policy.
4.	Other conduct, which in the discretion of the teacher or administration, requires removal of the student from class.
Such removal shall be for at least one (1) activity period or class period of instruction for a given course of study and shall not exceed five (5) such periods.
B.	If a student is removed from class more than ten (10) times in a school year, the school district shall notify the parent or guardian of the student’s tenth removal from class and make reasonable attempts to convene a meeting with the student’s parent or guardian to discuss the problem that is causing the student to be removed from class.
C.	Procedures for Removal of a Student From a Class.
1.	Procedures included in student handbook.
D.	Responsibility for and Custody of a Student Removed From Class.
E.	Procedures for Return of a Student to a Class From Which the Student Was Removed.
G.	Disabled Students; Special Provisions.
H.	Procedures for Detecting and Addressing Chemical Abuse Problems of Students While on School Premises.
A.	“Dismissal” means the denial of the current educational program to any student, including exclusion, expulsion and suspension. Dismissal does not include removal from class.
The school district shall not dismiss any student without attempting to provide alternative educational services before dismissal proceedings, except where it appears that the student will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property.
3.	Willful conduct that endangers the student or other students, or surrounding persons, including school district employees, or property of the school.
1.	“Suspension” means an action by the school administration, under rules promulgated by the School Board, prohibiting a student from attending school for a period of no more than ten (10) school days; provided, however, if a suspension is longer than five (5) school days, the suspending administrator shall provide the superintendent with a reason for the longer term of suspension. This definition does not apply to dismissal for one (1) school day or less where a student with a disability does not receive regular or special education instruction during that dismissal period.
2.	If a student’s total days of removal from school exceed ten (10) cumulative days in a school year, the school district shall make reasonable attempts to convene a meeting with the student and the student’s parent or guardian before subsequently removing the student from school and, with the permission of the parent or guardian, arrange for a mental health screening for the student at the parent or guardian’s expense. The purpose of this meeting is to attempt to determine the pupil’s need for assessment or other services or whether the parent or guardian should have the student assessed or diagnosed to determine whether the student needs treatment for a mental health disorder.
3.	Each suspension action may include a readmission plan. The plan shall include, where appropriate, a provision for implementing alternative educational services upon readmission which must not be used to extend the current suspension. A readmission plan must not obligate a parent or guardian to provide psychotropic drugs to their student as a condition of readmission. School administration must not use the refusal of a parent or guardian to consent to the administration of psychotropic drugs to their student or to consent to a psychiatric evaluation, screening, or examination of the student as a ground, by itself, to prohibit the student from attending class or participating in a school-related activity, or as a basis of a charge of child abuse, child neglect, or medical or educational neglect. The school administration may not impose consecutive suspensions against the same student for the same course of conduct, or incident of misconduct, except where the student will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property or where the school district is in the process of initiating an expulsion, in which case the school administration may extend the suspension to a total of fifteen (15) days.
4.	A child with a disability may be suspended. When a child with a disability has been suspended for more than five (5) consecutive days or ten (10) cumulative school days in the same year, and that suspension does not involve a recommendation for expulsion or exclusion or other change in placement under federal law, relevant members of the child’s IEP team, including at least one of the child’s teachers, shall meet and determine the extent to which the child needs services in order to continue to participate in the general education curriculum, although in another setting, and to progress toward meeting the goals in the child’s IEP. That meeting must occur as soon as possible, but no more than ten (10) days after the sixth (6th) consecutive day of suspension or the tenth (10th) cumulative day of suspension has elapsed.
5.	The school administration shall implement alternative educational services when the suspension exceeds five (5) days. Alternative educational services may include, but are not limited to, special tutoring, modified curriculum, modified instruction, other modifications or adaptations, instruction through electronic media, special education services as indicated by appropriate assessments, homebound instruction, supervised homework, or enrollment in another district or in an alternative learning center under Minn. Stat. § 123A.05 selected to allow the pupil to progress toward meeting graduation standards under Minn. Stat. § 120B.02, although in a different setting.
6.	The school administration shall not suspend a student from school without an informal administrative conference with the student. The informal administrative conference shall take place before the suspension, except where it appears that the student will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property, in which case the conference shall take place as soon as practicable following the suspension. At the informal administrative conference, a school administrator shall notify the student of the grounds for the suspension, provide an explanation of the evidence the authorities have, and the student may present the student’s version of the facts. A separate administrative conference is required for each period of suspension.
c.	petition the juvenile court that the student is in need of services under Minn. Stat. Ch. 260C.
9.	The school administration shall make reasonable efforts to notify the student’s parent or guardian of the suspension by telephone as soon as possible following suspension.
10.	In the event a student is suspended without an informal administrative conference on the grounds that the student will create an immediate and substantial danger to surrounding persons or property, the written notice shall be served upon the student and the student’s parent or guardian within forty-eight (48) hours of the suspension. Service by mail shall be complete upon mailing.
11.	Notwithstanding the foregoing provisions, the student may be suspended pending the school board’s decision in an expulsion or exclusion proceeding, provided that alternative educational services are implemented to the extent that suspension exceeds five (5) days.
1.	“Expulsion” means a school board action to prohibit an enrolled student from further attendance for up to twelve (12) months from the date the student is expelled. The authority to expel rests with the school board.
2.	“Exclusion” means an action taken by the school board to prevent enrollment or re-enrollment of a student for a period that shall not extend beyond the school year. The authority to exclude rests with the school board.
3.	All expulsion and exclusion proceedings will be held pursuant to and in accordance with the provisions of the Minnesota Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, Minn. Stat. §§121A.40-121A.56.
4.	No expulsion or exclusion shall be imposed without a hearing, unless the right to a hearing is waived in writing by the student and parent or guardian.
5.	The student and parent or guardian shall be provided written notice of the school district’s intent to initiate expulsion or exclusion proceedings. This notice shall be served upon the student and his or her parent or guardian personally or by mail, and shall contain a complete statement of the facts; a list of the witnesses and a description of their testimony; state the date, time and place of hearing; be accompanied by a copy of the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, Minn. Stat. §§ 121A.40-121A.56; describe alternative educational services accorded the student in an attempt to avoid the expulsion proceedings; and inform the student and parent or guardian of their right to: (1) have a representative of the student’s own choosing, including legal counsel at the hearing; (2) examine the student’s records before the hearing; (3) present evidence; and (4) confront and cross-examine witnesses. The school district shall advise the student’s parent or guardian that free or low-cost legal assistance may be available and that a legal assistance resource list is available from the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE).
6.	The hearing shall be scheduled within ten (10) days of the service of the written notice unless an extension, not to exceed five (5) days, is requested for good cause by the school district, student, parent, or guardian.
7.	All hearings shall be held at a time and place reasonably convenient to the student, parent, or guardian and shall be closed, unless the student, parent, or guardian requests an open hearing.
8.	The school district shall record the hearing proceedings at district expense, and a party may obtain a transcript at its own expense.
9.	The student shall have a right to a representative of the student’s own choosing, including legal counsel, at the student’s sole expense. The school district shall advise the student’s parent or guardian that free or low-cost legal assistance may be available and that a legal assistance resource list is available from MDE. The school board may appoint an attorney to represent the school district in any proceeding.
10.	If the student designates a representative other than the parent or guardian, the representative must have a written authorization from the student and the parent or guardian providing them with access to and/or copies of the student’s records.
11.	All expulsion or exclusion hearings shall take place before and be conducted by an independent hearing officer designated by the school district. The hearing shall be conducted in a fair and impartial manner. Testimony shall be given under oath and the hearing officer shall have the power to issue subpoenas and administer oaths.
12.	At a reasonable time prior to the hearing, the student, parent or guardian, or authorized representative shall be given access to all school district records pertaining to the student, including any tests or reports upon which the proposed dismissal action may be based.
13.	The student, parent or guardian, or authorized representative, shall have the right to compel the presence of any school district employee or agent or any other person who may have evidence upon which the proposed dismissal action may be based, and to confront and cross-examine any witnesses testifying for the school district.
14.	The student, parent or guardian, or authorized representative, shall have the right to present evidence and testimony, including expert psychological or educational testimony.
15.	The student cannot be compelled to testify in the dismissal proceedings.
16.	The hearing officer shall prepare findings and a recommendation based solely upon substantial evidence presented at the hearing, which must be made to the school board and served upon the parties within two (2) days after the close of the hearing.
17.	The school board shall base its decision upon the findings and recommendation of the hearing officer and shall render its decision at a meeting held within five (5) days after receiving the findings and recommendation. The school board may provide the parties with the opportunity to present exceptions and comments to the hearing officer’s findings and recommendation provided that neither party presents any evidence not admitted at the hearing. The decision by the school board must be based on the record, must be in writing, and must state the controlling facts on which the decision is made in sufficient detail to apprise the parties and the Commissioner of Education (Commissioner) of the basis and reason for the decision.
18.	A party to an expulsion or exclusion decision made by the school board may appeal the decision to the Commissioner within twenty-one (21) calendar days of school board action pursuant to Minn. Stat. § 121A.49. The decision of the school board shall be implemented during the appeal to the Commissioner.
19.	The school district shall report any suspension, expulsion or exclusion action taken to the appropriate public service agency, when the student is under the supervision of such agency.
20.	The school district must report, through the MDE electronic reporting system, each expulsion or exclusion within thirty (30) days of the effective date of the action to the Commissioner. This report must include a statement of alternative educational services given the student and the reason for, the effective date, and the duration of the exclusion or expulsion. The report must also include the student’s age, grade, gender, race, and special education status. The dismissal report must include state student identification numbers of affected students.
21.	Whenever a student fails to return to school within ten (10) school days of the termination of dismissal, a school administrator shall inform the student and his/her parent or guardian by mail of the student’s right to attend and to be reinstated in the school district.
Students who are currently identified as eligible under the IDEA or Section 504 will be subject to the provisions of this policy, unless the student’s IEP or 504 plan specifies a necessary modification.
Before initiating an expulsion or exclusion of a student with a disability, relevant members of the child’s IEP team and the child’s parent shall, consistent with federal law, conduct a manifestation determination and determine whether the child’s behavior was (i) caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the child’s disability and (ii) whether the child’s conduct was a direct result of a failure to implement the child’s IEP. If the student’s educational program is appropriate and the behavior is not a manifestation of the student’s disability, the school district will proceed with discipline – up to and including expulsion – as if the student did not have a disability, unless the student’s educational program provides otherwise. If the team determines that the behavior subject to discipline is a manifestation of the student’s disability, the team shall conduct a functional behavioral assessment and implement a behavioral intervention plan for such student provided that the school district had not conducted such assessment prior to the manifestation determination before the behavior that resulted in a change of placement. Where a behavioral intervention plan previously has been developed, the team will review the behavioral intervention plan and modify it as necessary to address the behavior.
When a student who has an IEP is excluded or expelled for misbehavior that is not a manifestation of the student’s disability, the school district shall continue to provide special education and related services during the period of expulsion or exclusion.
The school district may terminate the enrollment of a nonresident student enrolled under an Enrollment Option Program (Minn. Stat. § 124D.03) or Enrollment in Nonresident District (Minn. Stat. § 124D.08) at the end of a school year if the student meets the definition of a habitual truant, the student has been provided appropriate services for truancy (Minn. Stat. Ch. 260A), and the student’s case has been referred to juvenile court. The school district may also terminate the enrollment of a nonresident student over the age of seventeen (17) enrolled under an Enrollment Options Program if the student is absent without lawful excuse for one or more periods on fifteen (15) school days and has not lawfully withdrawn from school.

References: § 121
 § 123
 § 120
 § 121
 § 124
 § 124