STUDENT DISCIPLINE | Policy Manual

5600 - STUDENT DISCIPLINE

This policy governs student discipline at ESC educational services/schools/programs. Nothing in this policy supersedes the home school’s rights and/or obligations to discipline students pursuant to the home school’s policies, administrative guidelines, and applicable rules and regulations.

The Governing Board acknowledges that conduct is closely related to learning - an effective instructional program requires an orderly school environment and the effectiveness of the educational program is, in part, reflected in the behavior of students.

The Governing Board believes that the best discipline is self-imposed and that students should learn to assume responsibility for their own behavior and the consequences of their actions. The Governing Board has zero tolerance of violent, disruptive or inappropriate behavior by its students.

The Governing Board shall require each student of this ESC to adhere to the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code adopted by the Governing Board and to submit to such disciplinary measures as are appropriately assigned for infraction of those rules. Such rules shall require that students:

conform to reasonable standards of socially-acceptable behavior;
respect the person and property of others;
preserve the degree of order necessary to the educational program in which they are engaged;
respect the rights of others;
obey constituted authority and respond to those who hold that authority.

The Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code designates sanctions for the infractions of rules, excluding corporal punishment, which shall:

relate in kind and degree to the infraction;
help the student learn to take responsibility for his/her actions;
be directed, where possible, to reduce the effects of any harm which may have been caused by the student’s misconduct.

Students may be prohibited by authorized school personnel from participating in all or part of co-curricular and/or extra-curricular activities without further notice, hearing or appeal rights. A student who has been disorderly on a school bus may be suspended from transportation services consistent with Governing Board policy and the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code.

The Superintendent shall publish to all students and their parents the rules of this ESC regarding student conduct and the sanctions which may be imposed for breach of those rules.

The Superintendent shall inform the Governing Board periodically of the methods of discipline imposed by this ESC and the incidence of student misconduct in such degree of specificity as shall be required by the Governing Board.

The Superintendent, principals, and other administrators shall have the authority to assign discipline to students, subject to the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code and, where required by law, to the student’s due process right to notice, hearing, and appeal.

Teachers, school bus drivers, and other employees of this Governing Board having authority over students may take such action as may be necessary to control the disorderly conduct of students in all situations and in all places where such students are within the jurisdiction of this Governing Board and when such conduct interferes with the educational program of the schools or threatens the health and safety of others.

Discipline on Governing Board vehicles shall be the responsibility of the driver on regular bus runs. When Governing Board vehicles are used for field trips and other Governing Board activities, the teacher, coach, advisor, or other Governing Board employee shall be responsible for student discipline. If a student becomes a serious discipline problem on a vehicle, the Superintendent and/or designee may suspend the transportation privileges of the student providing such suspension conforms with due process. The procedures for suspension are set forth in the Student Code of Conduct/Student Discipline Code and Governing Board Policy 5611 – Due Process Rights.

No student in grades K-8 is to be detained after the close of the regular school day unless the student’s parent has been contacted and informed that the student shall be detained. If a parent cannot be contacted, the student should be detained on another day.