Substitute Bill No. 380 - School Discipline Summary

• Requires all suspensions to be in-school unless administration determines the student poses danger to persons/property or disruption of education, or meets specific criteria including previous disciplinary problems with documented intervention attempts.

• Limits out-of-school suspensions for preschool through grade 2 to no more than 2 school days and requires such suspensions only for conduct causing serious physical harm, with mandatory trauma-informed services upon return and consideration of special education evaluation.

• Changes arrest notification requirements for students 10-20 years old: law enforcement must report firearm possession arrests to superintendents within 72 hours by written notice; Court Support Services Division reports other Class A misdemeanors and felonies upon court presentation.

• Prohibits disciplinary hearings for students whose arrests have been diverted to community-based diversion, screened for nonjudicial handling, or dismissed by the court.

• Establishes a director of school climate improvement position within the Department of Education to oversee implementation of school climate policies and provide technical assistance to local and regional boards of education.