NE LB653

School districts outside learning communities must automatically accept siblings of enrolled option students regardless of capacity limitations, removing previous exceptions that allowed districts to reject siblings when at capacity.

School districts within learning communities must automatically accept siblings of option students, then prioritize former open enrollment students, followed by students contributing to socioeconomic diversity, then other learning community residents.

Elementary schools may now suspend pre-kindergarten through second grade students for engaging in violent behavior capable of causing physical harm, in addition to the existing exception for bringing deadly weapons to school.

Short-term suspension notices must now include documentation of prior school interventions, available resources for the student, and an actionable plan to keep the student in school; parents may request a conference if one was not held.

Long-term suspension, expulsion, or mandatory reassignment notices must include resources available to assist the student and an actionable plan aimed at maximizing strategies to keep the student in school.