WSR 97-04-067
PROPOSED RULES
STATE BOARD OF EDUCATION
[Filed February 4, 1997, 3:47 p.m.]
Original Notice.
Preproposal statement of inquiry was filed as WSR 97-01-046.
Title of Rule: Chapter 180-40 WAC, Pupils, relating to procedural due process rights of students.
Purpose: To make clarification and technical changes to WAC 180-40-260 and 180-40-310.
Statutory Authority for Adoption: RCW 28A.305.160.
Summary: See Explanation of Rule below.
Reasons Supporting Proposal: Proposed amendments clarify due process rights of students.
Name of Agency Personnel Responsible for Drafting, Implementation and Enforcement: Larry Davis, State Board of Education, Olympia, (360) 753-6715.
Name of Proponent: State Board of Education, governmental.
Rule is not necessitated by federal law, federal or state court decision.
Explanation of Rule, its Purpose, and Anticipated Effects: WAC 180-40-260 Long-term suspension--Conditions and limitations, the proposed amendments reinstate language in subsection (4) which was inadvertently deleted when the board amended this section at the November 1996 meeting. WAC 180-40-310 Appeals--Long-term suspension and expulsion, the proposed amendments clarify the fact that students who are suspended temporarily (or for a "short-term"), while they appeal an initial due process hearing decision, retain the right to make up assignments and tests.
Proposal Changes the Following Existing Rules: See Explanation of Rule above.
No small business economic impact statement has been prepared under chapter 19.85 RCW. Not applicable.
Section 201, chapter 403, Laws of 1995, does not apply to this rule adoption. Not applicable.
Hearing Location: Educational Service District 189, 205 Stewart Road, Mount Vernon, WA 98273, on March 19, 1997, at 1:30 p.m.
Assistance for Persons with Disabilities: Contact Judy Rus by March 5, 1997, TDD (360) 664-3631, or (360) 753-6715.
Submit Written Comments to: Rules Coordinator, State Board of Education, P.O. Box 47206, Olympia, WA 98504-7206, FAX (360) 586-2357, by March 18, 1997.
Date of Intended Adoption: March 20, 1997.
February 4, 1997
Larry Davis
Executive Director
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 97-01-047, filed 12/12/96, effective
1/12/97)
WAC 180-40-260 Long-term suspension--Conditions and limitations. A long-term suspension may be imposed upon a student for violation of school district rules adopted pursuant to WAC 180-40-225, subject to the following limitations or conditions and the notice requirements set forth in WAC 180-40-265 and the hearing requirements set forth in WAC 180-40-270:
(1) The nature and circumstances of the violation must be considered and must reasonably warrant a long-term suspension and the length of the suspension imposed. This requirement does not preclude school districts (that is, the boards of directors of school districts) from establishing the nature and extent of the corrective actions and/or punishments which, as a general rule, must be imposed as a consequence of proscribed misconduct. Such advance notice to students is advisable, and the imposition of such preestablished corrective action and/or punishment is permissible as long as (a) disciplinarians and hearing officers are allowed to grant exceptions in cases involving extenuating and/or exceptional circumstances, and (b) long-term suspension is not established as the corrective action or punishment for a student's first time offense other than for offenses involving exceptional misconduct as defined in subsection (2) of this section.
(2) As a general rule, no student shall be suspended for a long term unless another form of corrective action or punishment reasonably calculated to modify his or her conduct has previously been imposed upon the student as a consequence of misconduct of the same nature. A school district may, however, elect to adopt rules providing for the immediate resort to long-term suspension in cases involving exceptional misconduct as long as disciplinarians and hearing officers are allowed to grant exceptions in cases involving extenuating and/or exceptional circumstances, notwithstanding the fact prior alternative corrective action or punishment has not been imposed upon the student(s) involved. For the purpose of this rule, "exceptional misconduct" means misconduct other than absenteeism which a school district has judged following consultation with an ad hoc citizens committee to (a) be of such frequent occurrence, notwithstanding past attempts of district personnel to control such misconduct through the use of other forms of corrective action and/or punishment, as to warrant an immediate resort to long-term suspension, and/or (b) be so serious in nature and/or so serious in terms of the disruptive effect upon the operation of the school(s) as to warrant an immediate resort to long-term suspension (for example, misconduct judged by a school district to be the same or of the same nature as a violation of the state's drug or controlled substances laws). The ad hoc citizens committee required by this section shall be composed of three or more persons chosen by the school district or the administrative designee(s) of the district, and shall be constituted with the intent and purpose of representing various socioeconomic, minority and majority populations of the school district to the extent deemed practical.
(3) No student subject to compulsory attendance pursuant to chapter 28A.225 RCW, as now or hereafter amended, shall be suspended by reason, in whole or part, of one or more unexcused absences unless the school district has first imposed an alternative corrective action or punishment reasonably calculated to modify his or her conduct and, in addition:
(a) Provided notice to the student's parent(s) or guardian(s) or custodial parent(s) in writing in English or, if different, the primary language of the parent(s), guardian(s) or custodial parent(s) that the student has failed to attend school without valid justification, and by other means reasonably necessary to achieve notice of such fact;
(b) Scheduled a conference or conferences with the parent(s) or guardian(s) or custodial parent(s) and the student at a time and place reasonably convenient to all persons included to analyze the causes for the student's absence, the analysis to determine by appropriate means whether the student should be made a focus of concern for placement in a special education or other special program designed for his/her educational success; and
(c) Taken steps to reduce the student's absence which include, where appropriate in the judgment of local school officials and, where possible, discussed with the student, parent(s), guardian(s) or custodial parent(s), adjustments of the student's school program or school or course assignment or assisting the student or parent to obtain supplementary services that might ameliorate the cause(s) for the student's absence from school.
(4) Kindergarten through grade four--No student in grades kindergarten through four shall be subject to long-term suspension during any single semester or trimester, as the case may be, and no loss of academic grades or credit shall be imposed by reason of the suspension of such a student.
(5) Grade five and above program--No single long-term suspension shall be imposed upon a student in the grade five and above program in a manner which causes the student to lose academic grades or credit for in excess of one semester or trimester, as the case may be, during the same school year.
(6) Any student who has been suspended shall be allowed to make application for readmission at any time. Each school district board of directors shall adopt written rules which provide for such an application for readmission and set forth the procedures to be followed.
(7) All long-term suspensions and the reasons therefor shall be
reported in writing to the superintendent of the school district or his
or her designee within twenty-four hours after the imposition of the
suspension.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.160 and 1996 c 321. 97-01-047, 180-40-260, filed 12/12/96, effective 1/12/97. Statutory Authority: 1990
c 33. 90-17-009, 180-40-260, filed 8/6/90, effective 9/6/90.
Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.04.132. 85-12-042 (Order 14-85), 180-40-260, filed 6/5/85. Statutory Authority: 1979 1st ex.s. c 173 and c 201.
79-11-049 (Order 14-79), 180-40-260, filed 10/16/79; Order 6-77, 180-40-260, filed 6/2/77, effective 8/1/77.]
AMENDATORY SECTION (Amending WSR 96-15-098, filed 7/22/96, effective
8/22/96)
WAC 180-40-310 Appeals--Long-term suspension and expulsion. Appeals from decisions rendered pursuant to WAC 180-40-270, 180-40-285 and 180-40-305 which impose either a long-term suspension or an expulsion upon a student shall be governed as follows:
(1) Any school district board of directors may delegate its authority to hear and decide long-term suspension and expulsion appeals to a school district disciplinary appeal council established by the board. School district disciplinary appeal councils shall be appointed by the school district board of directors for fixed terms and shall consist of not less than three persons.
(2) If the case was not heard and decided by the school district board of directors or school district disciplinary appeal council, the student and his or her parent(s) or guardian(s) shall have the right to appeal the decision to the board of directors or the disciplinary appeal council. Notice indicating that the student or his or her parent(s) or guardian(s) desire to appeal the decision shall be provided to either the office of the school district superintendent or to the office of the person who rendered the decision within three school business days after the date of receipt of the decision. The notice of appeal shall be accepted if in writing and may be accepted orally if expressly provided for and allowed by rule or policy of the district.
(3) If an appeal is not taken to the board of directors or disciplinary appeal council within the required three school business day period, the suspension or expulsion decided upon may be imposed as of the calendar day following expiration of the three school business day period.
(4) If a timely appeal is taken to the board of directors or disciplinary appeal council, the suspension or expulsion may be imposed during the appeal period subject to the following conditions and limitations:
(a) A long-term suspension or nonemergency expulsion may be imposed during the appeal period for no more than ten consecutive school days or until the appeal is decided, whichever is the shortest period;
(b) An emergency expulsion may be continued during the appeal period
for so long as the student continues to pose an immediate and continuing
danger to the student, other students, or school personnel or an
immediate and continuing threat of substantial disruption of the
educational process of the student's school; ((and))
(c) Any days that a student is temporarily suspended or expelled before the appeal is decided shall be applied to the term of the student's suspension or expulsion and shall not limit or extend the term of the student's suspension or expulsion; and
(d) Any student subjected to a temporary suspension who returns to school before the appeal is decided shall be provided the opportunity upon his or her return to make up assignments and tests missed by reason of the suspension if:
(i) Such assignments or tests have a substantial effect upon the student's semester or trimester grade or grades; or
(ii) Failure to complete such assignments or tests would preclude the student from receiving credit for the course or courses.
(5) An appeal from any decision of a school board or disciplinary
appeal council to impose or to affirm the imposition of a long-term
suspension or an expulsion shall be to the courts. Whether or not the
decision of a school board or disciplinary appeal council shall be
postponed pending an appeal to superior court shall be discretionary with
the school board or disciplinary appeal council except as ordered
otherwise by a court.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.160 and 1996 c 321. 96-15-098, 180-40-310, filed 7/22/96, effective 8/22/96; Order 13-77, 180-40-310, filed 10/18/77; Order 6-77, 180-40-310, filed 6/2/77, effective 8/1/77.]