Signed by Governor Steve Sisolak

Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that amends school suspension and expulsion provisions.

Highlights:

• Requires the principal of each school to submit the plan or the revised plan, as applicable, to the (Sec. 1.5-4):

• Department;

• Committee;

• Bureau; and

• Board of trustees of the school district in which the school is located or if the school is a charter school, the sponsor of the charter school, and the governing body of the charter school.

• Specifies if a pupil is suspended or expelled, the pupil or, if the pupil is under 18 years of age, the parent or guardian of the pupil may appeal the suspension or expulsion. The charter school will ensure that a pupil who is suspended or expelled and is appealing the suspension or expulsion or a pupil who is being considered for suspension or expulsion continues to attend school and receives an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible (Sec. 2-2).

• Requires a copy of the rules of behavior, prescribed punishments and procedures to be followed in imposing punishments to be (Sec. 2-5):

• Distributed to each pupil at the beginning of the school year and to each new pupil who enters school during the year; and

• Available for public inspection at the charter school.

• Requires the board of trustees of each school district and the governing body of each charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils, as applicable, to adopt a policy for appealing the suspension or expulsion of a pupil enrolled in the school district, charter school, or university school, as applicable. The policy must provide, without limitation, that (Sec. 5):

• The board of trustees of a school district, the governing body of a charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils or the designee of the board of trustees or governing body, as applicable, may authorize the suspension or expulsion of a pupil within the timeline established by the Department of Education;

• Within the timeline established by the Department, the board of trustees of a school district, the governing body of a charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils or the designee of the board of trustees or governing body, as applicable, shall notify the pupil and, if the pupil is under 18 years of age, the parent or legal guardian of the pupil who is suspended or expelled of:

• The suspension or expulsion;

• The right to appeal the suspension or expulsion; and

• Information on the appeal policy adopted by the board of trustees of the school district or the governing body of the charter school or university school, as applicable;

• A pupil or, if the pupil is under 18 years of age, the parent or legal guardian of the pupil, who is suspended or expelled may file an appeal with the board of trustees of the school district, the governing body of the charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils or the designee of the board of trustees or governing body, as applicable, within the timeline established by the Department;

• The board of trustees of a school district, the governing body of a charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils or the designee of the board of trustees or governing body, as applicable, will schedule a hearing on an appeal of a suspension or expulsion of a pupil within the timeline established by the Department; and

• After conducting a hearing under this subsection, the board of trustees of a school district, the governing body of a charter school or university school for profoundly gifted pupils, or the designee of the board of trustees or governing body, as applicable, may not increase the initial suspension or expulsion of a pupil.

• Establishes a pupil who is suspended or expelled or is being considered for suspension or expulsion is entitled to receive an appropriate education in the least restrictive environment possible (Sec. 6).

• Specifies if a pupil is deemed a habitual disciplinary problem, the pupil is at least 11 years of age and the school has made a reasonable effort to complete a plan of action based on restorative justice with the pupil, the pupil may be (Sec. 9-5):

• Suspended from the school for a period not to exceed one school semester as determined by the seriousness of the acts which were the basis for the discipline; or

• Expelled from the school under extraordinary circumstances as determined by the principal of the school.

Full Bill Text