SB2239 Summary

• Requires school boards to notify parents of expulsion hearings about the nature of the hearing and option to retain legal counsel, and allows students to return to school the day after suspension period ends.

• Mandates written decision within 15 days about whether a student suspended from school bus for misconduct is permitted to use the bus going forward.

• Requires schools to offer written demonstration of remediation efforts excluding out-of-school suspensions, including peer mediation, in-school suspension, or shorter suspensions before considering longer disciplinary removals.

• Mandates schools track data on racial and ethnic disproportionality in suspensions and expulsions, and annually review and revise disciplinary policies if significant disproportionality is found.

• Requires schools to provide evidence-based alternatives to suspension in notices and automatically place students suspended more than 5 consecutive days or with multiple removals totaling 10+ days in e-learning or distance learning programs.

• Permits students in suspension hearings to disclose mitigating factors including status as parent, expectant parent, or victim of domestic/sexual violence, and allows representation by chosen advocate or support person.