Section 392-400-260. Long-term suspension—Conditions and limitations.

A long-term suspension may be imposed upon a student for violation of school district rules adopted pursuant to WAC 392-400-225, subject to the following limitations or conditions and the notice requirements set forth in WAC 392-400-265 and the hearing requirements set forth in WAC 392-400-270:

(1) School districts may not impose long-term suspension as a form of discretionary discipline as defined in WAC 392-400-205(11).

(2) A student may be excluded from a particular classroom or instructional or activity area for the period of suspension, but the school district must provide an opportunity for a student to receive educational services during a period of suspension.

(3) The nature and circumstances of the violation must be considered and must reasonably warrant a long-term suspension and the length of the suspension imposed. This requirement does not preclude the boards of directors of school districts from establishing the nature and extent of the corrective actions which, as a general rule, must be imposed as a consequence of proscribed misconduct. Such advance notice to students is advisable, and the imposition of such preestablished corrective action is permissible as long as (a) disciplinarians and hearing officers are allowed to grant exceptions in cases involving extenuating or exceptional circumstances, and (b) long-term suspension is not established as the corrective action for a student's first time offense other than for offenses involving exceptional misconduct as defined in subsection (4) of this section.

(4) As a general rule, no student shall be suspended for a long term unless another form of corrective action reasonably calculated to modify his or her conduct has previously been imposed upon the student as a consequence of misconduct of the same nature. A school district may, however, elect to adopt rules providing for the immediate resort to long-term suspension in cases involving exceptional misconduct as long as disciplinarians and hearing officers are allowed to grant exceptions in cases involving extenuating or exceptional circumstances, notwithstanding the fact prior alternative corrective action has not been imposed upon the student(s) involved. For the purpose of this rule, "exceptional misconduct" means misconduct other than absenteeism which a school district has judged following consultation with an ad hoc citizens committee to (a) be of such frequent occurrence, notwithstanding past attempts of district staff to control such misconduct through the use of other forms of corrective action, as to warrant an immediate resort to long-term suspension, or (b) be so serious in nature or so serious in terms of the disruptive effect upon the operation of the school(s) as to warrant an immediate resort to long-term suspension. The ad hoc citizens committee required by this section shall be composed of three or more persons chosen by the school district or the administrative designee(s) of the district, and shall be constituted with the intent and purpose of representing various socioeconomic, minority and majority populations of the school district to the extent deemed practical.

(5) No student in grades kindergarten through four shall be subject to long-term suspension during any single semester or trimester, as the case may be, and no loss of academic grades or credit shall be imposed by reason of the suspension of such a student.

(6) No single long-term suspension shall be imposed upon a student in the grade five and above program in a manner which causes the student to lose academic grades or credit for in excess of one semester or trimester, as the case may be, during the same school year.

(7) Any student who has been suspended shall be allowed to make application for readmission at any time. Each school district board of directors shall adopt written rules which provide for such an application for readmission and set forth the procedures to be followed.

(8) All long-term suspensions and the reasons therefor shall be reported in writing to the superintendent of the school district or his or her designee within twenty-four hours after the imposition of the suspension.

[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.600.015. WSR 16-18-028, § 392-400-260, filed 8/26/16, effective 9/1/16; WSR 14-15-153, § 392-400-260, filed 7/23/14, effective 8/23/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.160. WSR 07-04-048, § 392-400-260, filed 1/31/07, effective 3/3/07. Statutory Authority: 2006 c 263. WSR 06-14-009, recodified as § 392-400-260, filed 6/22/06, effective 6/22/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.160. WSR 97-08-019, § 180-40-260, filed 3/25/97, effective 4/25/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.160 and 1996 c 321. WSR 97-01-047, § 180-40-260, filed 12/12/96, effective 1/12/97. Statutory Authority: 1990 c 33. WSR 90-17-009, § 180-40-260, filed 8/6/90, effective 9/6/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.04.132. WSR 85-12-042 (Order 14-85), § 180-40-260, filed 6/5/85. Statutory Authority: 1979 1st ex.s. c 173 and c 201. WSR 79-11-049 (Order 14-79), § 180-40-260, filed 10/16/79; Order 6-77, § 180-40-260, filed 6/2/77, effective 8/1/77.]

RCW 28A.600.015. WSR 16-18-028, § 392-400-260, filed 8/26/16, effective 9/1/16; WSR 14-15-153, § 392-400-260, filed 7/23/14, effective 8/23/14. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.160. WSR 07-04-048, § 392-400-260, filed 1/31/07, effective 3/3/07. Statutory Authority: 2006 c 263. WSR 06-14-009, recodified as § 392-400-260, filed 6/22/06, effective 6/22/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.160. WSR 97-08-019, § 180-40-260, filed 3/25/97, effective 4/25/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.305.160 and 1996 c 321. WSR 97-01-047, § 180-40-260, filed 12/12/96, effective 1/12/97. Statutory Authority: 1990 c 33. WSR 90-17-009, § 180-40-260, filed 8/6/90, effective 9/6/90. Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.04.132. WSR 85-12-042 (Order 14-85), § 180-40-260, filed 6/5/85. Statutory Authority: 1979 1st ex.s. c 173 and c 201. WSR 79-11-049 (Order 14-79), § 180-40-260, filed 10/16/79; Order 6-77, § 180-40-260, filed 6/2/77, effective 8/1/77.

Rules

392-400-225,392-400-265,392-400-270,392-400-205,