HB2123 - 551R

Be it enacted by the Legislature of the State of Arizona:

Section 1. Section 15-841, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-841. Responsibilities of pupils; expulsion; alternative education programs; alternative to suspension programs; placement review committee

A. Pupils shall comply with the rules, pursue the required course of study and submit to the authority of the teachers, the administrators and the governing board. A teacher may send a pupil to the principal's office in order to maintain effective discipline in the classroom. If a pupil is sent to the principal's office pursuant to this subsection, the principal shall employ appropriate discipline management techniques that are consistent with rules adopted by the school district governing board. A teacher may remove a pupil from the classroom if either of the following conditions exists:

1. The teacher has documented that the pupil has repeatedly interfered with the teacher's ability to communicate effectively with the other pupils in the classroom or with the ability of the other pupils to learn.

2. The teacher has determined that the pupil's behavior is so unruly, disruptive or abusive that it seriously interferes with the teacher's ability to communicate effectively with the other pupils in the classroom or with the ability of the other pupils to learn.

B. A pupil may be expelled for continued open defiance of authority, continued disruptive or disorderly behavior, violent behavior that includes use or display of a dangerous instrument or a deadly weapon as defined in section 13-105, use or possession of a gun, or excessive absenteeism. A pupil may be expelled for excessive absenteeism only if the pupil has reached the age or completed the grade after which school attendance is not required as prescribed in section 15-802. A school district may expel pupils for actions other than those listed in this subsection as the school district deems appropriate. any expulsions of pupils in a kindergarten program and grades one through four must comply with section 15-843, subsection K.

C. A school district may refuse to admit any pupil who has been expelled from another educational institution or who is in the process of being expelled from another educational institution.

D. A school district, may annually or upon on the request of any pupil or the parent or guardian, may review the reasons for the pupil's expulsion and consider readmission.

E. As an alternative to suspension or expulsion, the school district may reassign any pupil to an alternative education program if the pupil does not meet the requirements for participation in the alternative to suspension program prescribed in subsection H I of this section and if good cause exists for expulsion or for a long-term suspension.

F. A school district may also reassign a pupil to an alternative educational education program if the pupil refuses to comply with rules, refuses to pursue the required course of study or refuses to submit to the authority of teachers, administrators or the governing board.

G. A school district or charter school shall expel from school for a period of not less than one year a pupil who is determined to have brought a firearm to a school within the jurisdiction of the school district or the charter school, except that the school district or charter school may modify this expulsion requirement for a pupil on a case by case case-by-case basis. This subsection shall be construed consistently with the requirements of the individuals with disabilities education act (20 United States Code sections 1400 through 1420). For the purposes of this subsection:

1. "Expel" may include removing a pupil from a regular school setting and providing educational services in an alternative setting.

2. "Firearm" means a firearm as defined in 18 United States Code section 921.

H. A school district or charter school shall expel from school for at least one year a pupil who is determined to have threatened an educational institution as defined in section 13-2911, except that the school district or charter school may modify this expulsion requirement for a pupil on a case by case case-by-case basis if the pupil participates in mediation, community service, restitution or other programs in which the pupil takes responsibility for the results of the threat. This subsection shall be construed consistently with the requirements of the individuals with disabilities education act (20 United States Code sections 1400 through 1420). A school district may reassign a pupil who is subject to expulsion pursuant to this subsection to an alternative education program pursuant to subsection E of this section if the pupil participates in mediation, community service, restitution or other programs in which the pupil takes responsibility for the threat. A school district or charter school may require the pupil's parent or guardian to participate in mediation, community service, restitution or other programs in which the parent or guardian takes responsibility with the pupil for the threat. For the purposes of this subsection, "threatened an educational institution" means to interfere with or disrupt an educational institution as defined in section 13-2911 by doing any of the following:

1. For the purpose of causing, or in reckless disregard of causing, interference with or disruption of an educational institution, threatening to cause physical injury to any employee of an educational institution or any person attending an educational institution.

2. For the purpose of causing, or in reckless disregard of causing, interference with or disruption of an educational institution, threatening to cause damage to any educational institution, the property of any educational institution, the property of any employee of an educational institution or the property of any person attending an educational institution.

3. Going on or remaining on the property of any educational institution for the purpose of interfering with or disrupting the lawful use of the property or in any manner as to deny or interfere with the lawful use of the property by others.

4. Refusing to obey a lawful order to leave the property of an educational institution.

I. By January 1, 2001, Each school district shall establish an alternative to suspension program in consultation with local law enforcement officials or school resource officers. The school district governing board shall adopt policies to determine the requirements for participation in the alternative to suspension program. Pupils who would otherwise be subject to suspension pursuant to this article and who meet the school district's requirements for participation in the alternative to suspension program shall be transferred to a location on school premises that is isolated from other pupils or transferred to a location that is not on school premises. The alternative to suspension program shall be discipline intensive and require academic work, and may require community service, groundskeeping and litter control, parent supervision, and evaluation or other appropriate activities. The community service, groundskeeping and litter control, and other appropriate activities may be performed on school grounds or at any other designated area.

J. Each school shall establish a placement review committee to determine the placement of a pupil if a teacher refuses to readmit the pupil to the teacher's class and to make recommendations to the governing board regarding the readmission of expelled pupils. The process for determining the placement of a pupil in a new class or replacement in the existing class shall not exceed three business days from after the date the pupil was first removed from the existing class. The principal shall not return a pupil to the classroom from which the pupil was removed without the teacher's consent unless the committee determines that the return of the pupil to that classroom is the best or only practicable alternative. The committee shall be composed of two teachers who are employed at the school and who are selected by the faculty members of the school and one administrator who is employed by the school and who is selected by the principal. The faculty members of the school shall select a third teacher to serve as an alternate member of the committee. If the teacher who refuses to readmit the pupil is a member of the committee, that teacher shall be excused from participating in the determination of the pupil's readmission and the alternate teacher member shall replace that teacher on the committee until the conclusion of all matters relating to that pupil's readmission.END_STATUTE

Sec. 2. Section 15-842, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-842. Damage to school property; suspension or expulsion of pupil; liability of parent

A. except as provided in section 15-843, subsection k, A pupil who cuts, defaces or otherwise injures any school property may be suspended or expelled.

B. Upon On complaint of the governing board, the parents or guardians of minors who have injured school property shall be are liable for all damages caused by their children or wards. END_STATUTE

Sec. 3. Section 15-843, Arizona Revised Statutes, is amended to read:

START_STATUTE15-843. Pupil disciplinary proceedings; definition

A. An action concerning discipline, suspension or expulsion of a pupil is not subject to title 38, chapter 3, article 3.1, except that the governing board of a school district shall post regular notice and shall take minutes of any hearing held by the governing board concerning the discipline, suspension or expulsion of a pupil.

B. The governing board of any school district, in consultation with the teachers and parents of the school district, shall prescribe rules for the discipline, suspension and expulsion of pupils. The rules shall be consistent with the constitutional rights of pupils and shall include at least the following:

1. Penalties for excessive pupil absenteeism pursuant to section 15-803, including failure in a subject, failure to pass a grade, suspension or expulsion.

2. Procedures for the use of using corporal punishment if allowed by the governing board.

3. Procedures for the reasonable use of physical force by certificated or classified personnel in self-defense, defense of others and defense of property.

4. Procedures for dealing with pupils who have committed or who are believed to have committed a crime.

5. A notice and hearing procedure for cases concerning the suspension of a pupil for more than ten days.

6. Procedures and conditions for readmission of readmitting a pupil who has been expelled or suspended for more than ten days.

7. Procedures for to appeal to the governing board of the suspension of a pupil for more than ten days, if the decision to suspend the pupil was not made by the governing board.

8. Procedures for to appeal of the recommendation of the hearing officer or officers designated by the board as provided in subsection F of this section at the time the board considers the recommendation.

9. Disciplinary policies for the confinement of confining pupils left alone in an enclosed space. These policies shall include the following:

(a) A process for prior written parental notification that confinement may be used for disciplinary purposes and that is included in the pupil's enrollment packet or admission form.

(b) A process for prior written parental consent before confinement is allowed for any pupil in the school district. The policies shall provide for an exemption to prior written parental consent if a school principal or teacher determines that the pupil poses imminent physical harm to self or others. The school principal or teacher shall make reasonable attempts to notify the pupil's parent or guardian in writing by the end of the same day that confinement was used.

10. Procedures that require the school district to annually report to the department of education in a manner prescribed by the department the number of suspensions and expulsions that involve the possession, use or sale of an illegal substance under title 13, chapter 34 and the type of illegal substance involved in each suspension or expulsion. The department of education shall compile this information and annually post the information on its website. The information shall comply with the family educational rights and privacy act of 1974 (P.L. 93-380; 88 Stat. 57; 20 United States Code section 1232g) and shall not include personally identifiable information and shall show the number of suspensions and expulsions associated with each illegal substance aggregated statewide and by county.

C. Penalties adopted pursuant to subsection B, paragraph 1 of this section for excessive absenteeism shall not be applied to pupils who have completed the course requirements and whose absence from school is due solely to illness, disease or accident as certified by a person who is licensed pursuant to title 32, chapter 7, 13, 15 or 17.

D. The governing board shall:

1. Support and assist teachers in the implementation implementing and enforcement of enforcing the rules prescribed pursuant to subsection B of this section.

2. Develop procedures allowing teachers and principals to recommend the suspension or expulsion of pupils.

3. Develop procedures allowing teachers and principals to temporarily remove disruptive pupils from a class.

4. Delegate to the principal the authority to remove a disruptive pupil from the classroom.

E. If a pupil withdraws from school after receiving notice of possible action concerning discipline, expulsion or suspension, the governing board may continue with the action after the withdrawal and may record the results of such action in the pupil's permanent file.

F. In all action actions concerning the expulsion of a pupil, the governing board of a school district shall:

1. Be notified of the intended action.

2. Either:

(a) Decide, in executive session, whether to hold a hearing or to designate one or more hearing officers to hold a hearing to hear the evidence, prepare a record and bring a recommendation to the board for action and whether the hearing shall be held in executive session.

(b) Provide by policy or vote at its annual organizational meeting that all hearings concerning the expulsion of a pupil conducted pursuant to this section will be conducted before a hearing officer selected from a list of hearing officers approved by the governing board.

3. Give written notice, at least five working days before the hearing by the governing board or the hearing officer or officers designated by the governing board, to all pupils subject to expulsion and their parents or guardians of the date, time and place of the hearing. If the governing board decides that the hearing is to be held in executive session, the written notice shall include a statement of the right of the parents or guardians or an emancipated pupil who is subject to expulsion to object to the governing board's decision to have the hearing held in executive session. Objections shall be made in writing to the governing board.

G. If a parent or guardian or an emancipated pupil who is subject to expulsion disagrees that the hearing should be held in executive session, it the hearing shall be held in an open meeting unless:

1. If only one pupil is subject to expulsion and disagreement exists between that pupil's parents or guardians, the governing board, after consultations with the pupil's parents or guardians or the emancipated pupil, shall decide in executive session whether the hearing will be in executive session.

2. If more than one pupil is subject to expulsion and disagreement exists between the parents or guardians of different pupils, separate hearings shall be held subject to this section.

H. This section does not prevent the pupil who is subject to expulsion or suspension, and the pupil's parents or guardians and legal counsel, from attending any executive session pertaining to the proposed disciplinary action, from having access to the minutes and testimony of the executive session or from recording the session at the parent's or guardian's expense.

I. In schools employing a superintendent or a principal, the authority to suspend a pupil from school is vested in the superintendent, principal or other school officials granted this power by the governing board of the school district.

J. In schools that do not have a superintendent or principal, a teacher may suspend a pupil from school.

K. Unless required by section 15-841, subsection g, A school district or charter school may suspend or expel a pupil who is enrolled in a kindergarten program, first grade, second grade, third grade or fourth grade only if all of the following apply:

1. the pupil is seven years of age or older.

2. The pupil engaged in conduct on school grounds that meets one of the following criteria:

(a) involves the possession of a dangerous weapon without authorization from the school.

(b) involves the possession, use or sale of a dangerous drug as defined in section 13-3401 or a narcotic drug as defined in section 13-3401 or a violation of section 13-3411.

(d) The pupil's behavior is determined by the school district governing board or charter school governing body to qualify as aggravating circumstances and that all of the following apply:

(i) The pupil is engaged in persistent behavior that has been documented by the school and that prevents other pupils from learning or prevents the teacher from maintaining control of the classroom environment.

(ii) The pupil’s ongoing behavior is unresponsive to targeted interventions as documented through an established intervention process that includes consultation with a school counselor, school psychologist or other mental health professional or social worker if available within the school district or charter school or through a state sponsored program.

(iii) The pupil’s parent or guardian was notified and consulted about the ongoing behavior.

(iv) Before a long-term suspension or expulsion, the school provides the pupil with a disability screening and the screening finds that the behavioral issues were not the result of a disability.

3. Failing to remove the pupil from the school building would create a safety threat that cannot otherwise reasonably be addressed or qualifies as aggravating circumstances as specified in paragraph 2 of this subsection.

4. Before suspending or expelling the pupil, the school district or charter school considers and, if feasible while maintaining the health and safety of others, in consultation with the pupil’s parent or guardian to the extent possible, employs alternative behavioral and disciplinary interventions that are available to the school district or charter school, that are appropriate to the circumstances and that are considerate of health and safety. The school district or charter school shall document the alternative behavioral and disciplinary interventions it considers and employs.

5. The school district or charter school, by policy, provides for both:

(a) a readmission procedure for pupils who are in kindergarten programs, first grade, second grade, third grade and fourth grade and who have served at least five school days of a suspension from the school that exceeds ten school days to be considered for readmission on appeal of the pupil's parent or guardian.

(b) a readmission procedure for pupils who are in kindergarten programs, first grade, second grade, third grade and fourth grade and who are expelled from or subject to alternative reassignment at the school to be considered for readmission on appeal of the pupil's parent or guardian at least twenty school days after the effective date of the expulsion or alternative reassignment.

K. L. In All cases of suspension, it shall be for good cause and shall be reported within five days to the governing board by the superintendent or the person imposing the suspension.

L. m. Rules pertaining to the discipline, suspension and expulsion of pupils shall not be based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry. If the department of education, the auditor general or the attorney general determines that a school district is substantially and deliberately not in compliance with this subsection and if the school district has failed to correct the deficiency within ninety days after receiving notice from the department of education, the superintendent of public instruction may withhold the monies the school district would otherwise be entitled to receive from the date of the determination of noncompliance until the department of education determines that the school district is in compliance with this subsection.

M. n. The principal of each school shall ensure that a copy of all rules pertaining to discipline, suspension and expulsion of pupils is distributed to the parents of each pupil at the time the pupil is enrolled in school.

N. o. The principal of each school shall ensure that all rules pertaining to the discipline, suspension and expulsion of pupils are communicated to students at the beginning of each school year, and to transfer students at the time of their enrollment in the school.

O. p. School districts may refer a pupil who has been subject to discipline, suspension or expulsion pursuant to this section to a career and college readiness program for at-risk students established pursuant to section 15-707.

q. For the purposes of this section, "aggravating circumstances" means the pupil is engaged in persistent behavior that:

1. Has been documented by the school.

2. Prevents other students from learning or prevents the teacher from maintaining control of the classroom environment.

3. Is unresponsive to targeted interventions as documented through an established intervention process.