Code of Massachusetts Regulations › 603 CMR - DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION › Title 603 CMR 53.00 - Student Discipline › Section 53.14 - Student Suspension and Expulsion Data Collection and Reporting

Current through Register 1525, July 5, 2024
(1) Every school district, charter school,
			 and virtual school shall collect and annually report data to the Department
			 regarding in-school suspensions, short- and long-term suspensions, expulsions,
			 emergency removals under
			 603 CMR
			 53.07, access to education services under
			 603
			 CMR 53.13, and such other information as may
			 be required by the Department. Such data shall be reported in a manner and form
			 directed by the Department.
(2) The
			 principal of each school shall periodically review discipline data by selected
			 student populations, including but not limited to race and ethnicity, gender,
			 socioeconomic status, English language learner status, and student with a
			 disability status. In reviewing the data, the principal shall assess the extent
			 of in-school suspensions, short- and long-term suspensions, expulsions, and
			 emergency removals under
			 603 CMR
			 53.07, and the impact of such disciplinary
			 action on selected student populations. The principal shall further determine
			 whether it is necessary or appropriate to modify disciplinary practices due to
			 over-reliance on expulsion, or in-school school or out-of-school suspension, or
			 emergency removals, or the impact of such suspensions, removals, and expulsions
			 on selected student populations compared with other students.
(3) In the fall of each year, the Department
			 shall publish an analysis and report of student discipline data disaggregated
			 by district and school, and by selected student populations, included but not
			 limited to race and ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, English language
			 learner status, and student with a disability status. The data shall be
			 reported in a manner that protects the identity of each student and shall be
			 made available to the public online in a machine readable format.
(4) The Department shall annually determine
			 the schools with the highest percentage of students expelled or placed on
			 long-term suspension for more than ten cumulative days in a school year. After
			 review of the discipline data described in 603 CMR 53.14(3) and other relevant
			 school and district information, including but not limited to student
			 demographics, student performance, promotion, attendance, attrition,
			 graduation, and dropout rates, the Commissioner shall identify schools that
			 need assistance to reduce over-reliance on long-term suspension or expulsion as
			 a consequence for student misconduct. The Department shall identify models that
			 such schools may use to incorporate intermediate steps before long-term
			 suspension and expulsion and to foster positive school climate.
Through use of statistical analysis, the Commissioner shall
				identify schools and districts with data that reflect significant disparities
				in the rate of suspension and expulsion by race and ethnicity, or disability.
				Such schools and districts shall develop and implement a plan approved by the
				Department to address such significant disparities.