§ 6-18-502 - Guidelines for development of school district student discipline policies. - Arkansas Statutes

6-18-502. Guidelines for development of school district student discipline policies.

(a) The Department of Education shall establish guidelines for the development of school district student discipline policies.

(b) Such guidelines shall include, but not be limited to, the following requirements:

(1) Parents, students, and school district personnel, including teachers, shall be involved in the development of school district student discipline policies;

(2) (A) The student discipline policies shall be reviewed annually by the school district's committee on personnel policies.

(B) The committee may recommend changes in the policies to the board of directors of the local school district; and

(3) Student discipline policies shall include, but not be limited to, the following offenses:

(A) Willfully and intentionally assaulting or threatening to assault or abuse any student or teacher, principal, superintendent, or other employee of a school system;

(B) Possession by students of any firearm or other weapon prohibited upon the school campus by law or by policies adopted by the school board of directors;

(C) Using, offering for sale, or selling beer, alcoholic beverages, or other illicit drugs by students on school property;

(D) Possession by a student of any paging device, beeper, or similar electronic communication device on the school campus, however:

(i) The policy may provide an exemption for possession of such a device by a student who is required to use such a device for health or other compelling reasons; and

(ii) The policy may exempt possession of such a device after normal school hours for extracurricular activities; and

(E) Willfully or intentionally damaging, destroying, or stealing school property by students.

(c) The school discipline policies shall:

(1) Prescribe minimum and maximum penalties, including students' suspension or dismissal from school, for violations of each of the aforementioned offenses and for violations of other practices prohibited by school discipline policies;

(2) (A) Prescribe expulsion from school for a period of not less than one (1) year for possession of any firearm or other weapon prohibited upon the school campus by law.

(B) Provided, however, that the superintendent shall have discretion to modify such expulsion requirement for a student on a case-by-case basis;

(3) Establish procedures for notice to students and parents of charges, hearings, and other due process proceedings to be applicable in the enforcement and administration of such policies by the school administrator and by the school board of directors;

(4) Include prevention, intervention, and conflict resolution provisions; and

(5) Set forth the role and authority of public school employees and volunteers as provided in this subchapter.

(d) Student discipline policies shall provide that parents and students will be advised of the rules and regulations by which the school is governed and will be made aware of the behavior that will call for disciplinary action and the types of corrective actions that may be imposed.

(e) Each school district shall develop a procedure for written notification to all parents and students of the district's student discipline policies and for documentation of the receipt of the policies by all parents and students.

(f) Teachers and administrators, classified school employees, and volunteers shall be provided with appropriate student discipline training.

(g) If a school employee believes that any action taken by the school district to discipline a student referred by that employee does not follow school district discipline policies, the school employee may appeal under the district's grievance procedure as provided under 6-17-208.

(h) In developing the state guidelines for school district discipline policies, the department shall involve parents, students, teachers, and administrators.