Relating to the discipline of students who disrupt the educational process, and including effective date provisions

The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly. This bill relates to the discipline of students who disrupt the educational process. The bill establishes that such policies must authorize a teacher to take disciplinary action to correct a student’s behavior when the student interferes with the orderly education process or otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook. The bill establishes that such policies must provide that when a student’s behavior prevents the orderly instruction of other students, poses an immediate threat to the safety or physical well-being of any student or teacher, or when a student otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook, the student’s teacher may immediately remove the student from the classroom and place the student with the principal or the principal’s designee. The bill provides that, after a student’s third removal from the classroom, the student’s teacher and the principal shall discuss the student’s disruptive behavior patterns and the potential disciplinary actions the school district may take prior to the teacher or principal implementing any new disciplinary action against the student. Additionally, the bill provides that such student shall not be permitted to return to the classroom until after a conference that is designed to identify the reasons for the student’s behavior, and the disciplinary actions the school district may take that are best suited to improve the student’s behavior, takes place. The bill restricts actions a principal, administrator, or school district may take with respect to teachers taking action under the bill or exercising the teacher’s rights established by the bill. The bill takes effect December 31, 2026.