STUDENT DISCIPLINE AND DEFINITIONS

Policy #3241 and Procedure #3241

The purpose of this student discipline procedure is to implement the district’s student discipline policy as adopted by the Board. These procedures are consistent with the Board’s student discipline policy, as well as applicable federal and state laws.

DISCIPLINE & CONFIDENTIALITY

Federal law prohibits schools from disclosing personally identifiable information from a student’s education record that would be considered harmful or an invasion of privacy if disclosed. This includes revealing any information about student discipline. While we understand at times a parent may want to know if and how another student was reprimanded for an incident, please be aware information from student records shall be disclosed only in accordance with the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974, 20 USC 1232g and adopted School Policy 4020. 

DEFINITIONS 

Behavioral violation means a student’s behavior that violates the district's discipline policies.

Best practices and strategies refers to other forms of discipline that the district identified that school personnel should administer to support students in meeting behavioral expectations.

Classroom exclusion means the exclusion of a student from a classroom or instructional or activity area for behavioral violations, subject to the requirements in WAC 392-400-330 and 392-400-335. Classroom exclusion does not include actions that result in missed instruction for a brief duration when:

• A teacher or other school personnel attempts other forms of discipline to support the student in meeting behavioral expectations; and
• The student remains under the supervision of the teacher or other school personnel during such brief duration.

Discipline means any action taken by a school district in response to behavioral violations. 

Disruption of the Educational Process means the interruption of classwork, the creation of disorder, or the invasion of the rights of a student or group of students. 

Emergency Expulsion means the removal of a student from school because the student’s statements or behavior pose an immediate and continuing danger to other students or school personnel, or an immediate and continuing threat of material and substantial disruption of the educational process, subject ot the requirements of WAC 392-400-510 through 392-400-530. An emergency expulsion must end or be converted to another form of corrective action within a 10-day period.

Expulsion means a denial of admission to the student’s current school placement in response to a behavioral violation, subject to the requirements in WAC 392-400-430 through 392-400-480. 

Other Forms of Discipline means actions used in response to problem behaviors and behavioral violations, other than classroom exclusion, suspension, expulsion, or emergency expulsion, which may involve the use of best practices and strategies included in the state menu for behavior developed under RCW 28A.165.035.

Suspension means the denial of attendance in response to a behavioral violation from any subject or class, or from any full schedule of subjects or classes, but not including classroom exclusions, expulsions or emergency expulsion. Suspension may also include denial of admission to or entry upon, real and personal property that is owned, leased, rented or controlled by the district. 

• In-school suspension: A suspension in which a student is excluded from the student’s regular educational setting but remains in the student’s current school placement for up to 10 consecutive school days, subject to the requirements in WAC 392-400-430 through 392-400-475. 
   
• Short-term suspension: A suspension in which a student is excluded from school for up to 10 consecutive school days, subject to the requirements in WAC 392-400-430 through 392-400-475.
   
• Long-term suspension: A suspension in which a student is excluded from school for more than 10 consecutive school days, subject to the requirements in WAC 392-400-430 through 392-400-475. 

BEHAVIOR VIOLATIONS

Having sought the participation of school personnel, students, parents, families and the community, the Ephrata School District has developed definitions for the following behavior violations, which clearly state the types of behaviors for which discipline - including other forms of discipline, classroom exclusion, suspension and expulsion - may be administered.

Discipline Matrix

The district will continue to further develop and / or revise the definitions for what constitutes behavioral violations to reduce the effect of implicit or unconscious bias. In addition to these district definitions, school principals will confer with certified building employees at least annually to develop and / or review building discipline standards as stated in the Board Policy. This development of building standards will also address the differences in perceptions of subjective behaviors and reduce the effect of implicit or unconscious bias.

GRIEVANCE PROCEDURE

Any parent / guardian or student who is aggrieved by the administration of classroom exclusion and / or other forms of discipline, including discipline that excludes a student from transportation or extracurricular activities and detention, has the right to an informal conference with the principal for resolving the grievance. If the grievance pertains to the action of an employee, the district will notify that employee of the grievance as soon as reasonably possible.

At such conference, the student and parent will have the opportunity to voice issues and concerns related to the grievance and ask questions of staff members involved in the grievance matter. Staff members will have the opportunity to respond to the issues and questions related to the grievance matter. Additionally, the principal will have the opportunity to address issues and questions raised and to ask questions of the parent, student and staff members.

If, after exhausting this remedy the grievance is not yet resolved, the parent and student will have the right, upon two (2) school business days prior notice, to present a written and / or oral grievance to the Superintendent or designee. The Superintendent or designee will provide the parent and student with a written copy of its response to the grievance within ten (10) school business days. Use of the grievance process will not impede or postpone the disciplinary action, unless the principal or Superintendent elects to postpone the disciplinary action.