Students come to school to learn. Learning involves making mistakes. However, when students make negative choices involving a behavioral violation at school, on school grounds, at a school-sponsored event, or on school-district-sponsored transportation, corrective action may be necessary. Classroom, activity, and/or school-level corrective interventions - also called “other forms of discipline” - may include the following:

• The student determines how to repair the harm
• Self-reflection activity
• Reteach behavioral expectations
• Behavior agreement
• Change in the environment (special seating, providing a distraction, use of break system, removal of triggers)
• The teacher moves closer to the student.
• The student spends extra time in the classroom where the harm occurred to repair the relationship(s) with staff/students.
• Loss of classroom privileges
• Teach/model replacement skills directly related to the behavior of the concern.
• Teacher or designated staff counsels with the student in private
• The teacher or designated staff notifies the parent/guardian
• Teacher or designated staff counsels with the student and, if possible, the parent/guardian
• Social-emotional check-in

• Family conference with the teacher, school staff, and administrator
• Develop a behavior plan (BIP, FBA)
• Develop a safety plan
• Behavior coaching for the student
• Reevaluate support/safety plans that are currently in place
• Restorative practices
  
  • Informal Restorative Conversation
  • Repairing Harm Circle
  • Problem-Solving Circle
• Referral to Restorative Center (High School)
• Referral to school support staff (nurse, counselor, mental health associate)
• Mediation
• Restitution of damages or stolen property
• Loss of computer privileges
• Community/school service
• Class schedule change
• Informal/formal check-ins with chosen staff
• Detention (before school, after school, lunch, for a set period of time)
• Referral to Student Intervention Team
• If the student has a disability, review and revise the IEP (Individualized Education Plan) or 504 Plan
• Pair the student with a mentor
• Refer to a community agency for support with identified needs (housing, food stability, leadership development, mental health counseling, social skill development, drug and alcohol assessment/treatment, etc.)

Classroom Exclusion, Suspension, Emergency Removal, or Expulsion from a class, subject, activity, and/or district transportation, and include a denial of admission to or entry upon real and personal property that is owned, leased, rented, or controlled by the district.

Each corrective action has limitations and due process requirements. These are summarized below.

Definition

• “Classroom Exclusion” means the exclusion of a student from a classroom, instructional period, or activity area for prohibited behavior violations for no more than the balance of the day or class period.
• Classroom exclusion does not include action that results in missed instruction for a brief duration (i.e. 20 minutes) when the teacher or other staff attempts other forms of discipline to support the student in meeting behavioral expectations and the student remains under adult supervision.
• Classroom exclusion also does not include times when a student removes themselves for self-regulation or when a student takes a break as outlined in a behavior plan. See WAC 392-400-430 and 392-400-335.

Limitations

• Must be for a prohibited behavior violation in NTPS Procedure 3240P.
• Some other form(s) of discipline must be attempted first unless the student’s presence poses an immediate and continuing danger or an immediate and continuing threat of substantial disruption.
• Removals may be administered for some or all of the school day; if longer than one day, the school must provide notice and due process for a suspension.
• The person who removed the student must report the removal to the principal/designee as soon as possible, or immediately if the removal was because of danger or threat of substantial disruption.
• Notify the parent/guardian as soon as possible.
• The student must be allowed to make up any assignments and/or tests missed during the classroom exclusion.
• If the removal was for danger or threat of substantial disruption, the principal/designee must meet with the student as soon as possible and decide next steps.
• Without the consent of the teacher, an excluded student may not return to the class until the principal/designee and teacher have conferred.

Due Process

• Any parent/guardian or student who is aggrieved by the imposition of classroom exclusion has the right to an informal conference with the principal to resolve the grievance within five (5) school business days.
• At such a conference, the student and parent/guardian 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 will have an 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/guardian, student, and staff members.

Definition

• “Suspension” means the denial of attendance for prohibited behavior violation for any single subject or class, or for any partial or full schedule of subjects or classes.
• There are three kinds of suspension - In-school, Short-Term, and Long-term.

In-school or Short-term Suspension

Duration:

• “In-school Suspension” means a student is removed from the regular educational setting but remains in school for ten (10) consecutive school days or less per semester.
• “Short-term Suspension” means a student is removed from school for up to ten (10) consecutive school days per semester.

Limitations:

• Must be for a prohibited behavior violation in NTPS Procedure 3240P.
• Grades K-4: No more than ten (10) cumulative school days per semester.
• Grades 5-12: No more than fifteen (15) cumulative days per semester.
• Must consider individual circumstances.
• Must attempt one or more other forms of discipline to support the student in meeting behavior expectations.

Due Process:

• Must conduct an Informal Initial Hearing in which the student is:
  1. notified of the behavioral violation, evidence of the violation, and the discipline that may be administered;
  2. given an opportunity to share their perspective and provide an explanation for the violation; and
  3. given an opportunity to call their parent/guardian.
• Provide parent/guardian written notification (and district office) within one (1) day of the student’s Informal Initial Hearing.
• If they disagree with the discipline, the parent/guardian/student has a right to an informal conference with the principal/designee. The principal/designee must provide the informal conference within three (3) business days of the request.
• Parent/guardian/student has five (5) school business days following receipt of written notice of suspension to appeal orally or in writing to the superintendent/designee.
• Parent/guardian/student has the right to request review and reconsideration of the appeal decision to the School Board within ten (10) days of the initial appeal decision.

Long-term Suspension

Duration:

• “Long-term Suspension” means a student is excluded for more than ten (10) and up to ninety (90) consecutive school days.

Limitations:

• Must be for a prohibited behavior violation in NTPS Procedure 3240P.
• Cannot be used for K-4.
• No long-term suspension will be imposed beyond the school year in which the student’s misconduct occurred.
• Must consider individual circumstances.
• Must consider other forms of discipline to support the student in meeting behavior expectations.

Due Process:

• Must make a reasonable attempt to invite parent/guardian to Informal Initial Hearing.
• Must conduct an Informal Initial Hearing in which the student is:
  
  1. notified of the behavioral violation, evidence of the violation, and the discipline that may be administered;
  2. given an opportunity to share their perspective and provide an explanation for the violation.
• Provide parent/guardian (and district office) written notification within one (1) day of the student’s Informal Initial Hearing.
• If they disagree with the discipline, the parent/guardian/student has a right to an informal conference with the principal/designee. The principal/designee must provide the informal conference within three (3) business days of the request.
• Parent/guardian/student has five (5) school business days to appeal orally or in writing to the Superintendent or designee.
• Parent/guardian/student has the right to apply for readmission.
• Parent/guardian/student has the right to request review and reconsideration of the appeal decision to the School Board within ten (10) days of the initial appeal decision.
• A re-engagement meeting and plan are required within twenty (20) calendar days of expulsion and within five (5) days of return to school, or sooner if parent/guardian/student requests.

Definition

• “Emergency Removal” means the immediate removal of a student from school because the student’s statements or behavior pose an immediate and continuing danger to students or staff or substantial disruption of the educational process.
• For emergency removals, “substantial disruption” means “the student's behavior results in an extreme disruption of the educational process that creates a substantial barrier to learning for other students across the school day, and school personnel have exhausted reasonable attempts at administering other forms of discipline to support the student in meeting behavioral expectations.”

Duration

• An emergency removal must end or be converted to another form of corrective action within ten (10) school days. See WAC 392-400-510 through 392-400-480.

Limitations

• Not required to identify a violation listed in NTPS Procedure 3240P.
• Student behavior must pose either: (a) an immediate and continuing danger; or (b) an immediate and continuing threat of substantial disruption.
• The district may not impose an emergency removal solely for investigating student conduct.

Due Process:

• Attempt to notify parents/guardians as soon as reasonably possible and provide the reason the student’s presence posed a risk of danger/disruption.
• Provide parent/guardian (and district office) written notice within 24 hours, providing an explanation of how/why the student’s presence at school posed a risk of danger/disruption.
• If they disagree with the discipline, the parent/guardian/student has a right to an informal conference with the principal/designee. The principal/designee must provide the informal conference within three (3) business days of the request
• Parent/guardian/student has three (3) school business days to appeal orally or in writing to the Superintendent or designee.
• Parent/guardian/student has the right to request review and reconsideration of the appeal decision to the School Board within ten (10) days of the initial appeal decision.
• If converted, the school must provide new notice and due process rights.

Definition

• “Expulsion” means a denial of admission to the student’s current school in response to a violation listed in WAC 392-400-430 through 390-400-480. 

Duration

• One calendar year expulsion is required for any student K-12 who brings or possesses a firearm or gun on campus, at a school activity, or on transportation; expulsion is from every school in the state. See RCW 28A.600.420 and NTPS Policy 4210.
• “Expulsion” for incidents other than firearms means a student is excluded for up to ninety (90) consecutive school days; and expulsion is only from the school where the incident occurred.
• Can extend beyond the current school year

Limitations

• Must be for a prohibited behavior violation in NTPS Procedure 3240P
• Cannot be for K-4 unless for a firearm offense
• Must consider individual circumstances
• Must consider other forms of discipline

Due Process:

• Must make a reasonable attempt to invite parent/guardian to Informal Initial Hearing.
• Must conduct an Informal Initial Hearing in which the student is:
  
  1. notified of the behavioral violation, evidence of the violation, and the discipline that may be administered;
  2. given an opportunity to share their perspective and provide an explanation for the violation.
• Provide parent/guardian (and district office) written notification within one (1) day of the student’s Informal Initial Hearing.
• The parent/guardian/student has a right to an informal conference with the principal/designee. The principal/designee must provide the informal conference within three (3) business days of the request
• Parent/guardian/student has five (5) school business days to appeal orally or in writing to the Superintendent or designee.
• Parent/guardian/student has the right to apply for readmission.
• Parent/guardian/student has the right to request review and reconsideration of the appeal decision to the School Board within ten (10) days of the initial appeal decision.
• A re-engagement meeting and plan is required within twenty (20) calendar days of expulsion and within five (5) days of return to school or sooner if
  parent/guardian/student requests.

Appeal procedures can be found in NTPS Policy 3241 and Procedure 3241P.