The “Best Practices” of
Student Discipline Handbook
The Handbook…
Ø was jointly created by a LEA and LPS Committee created by
ProCom (the joint leadership committee of LEA and LPS), and has also been
approved by ProCom.
Ø has the weight of other mutually approved documents and
the contents of the Handbook can be grieved if not followed.
Ø is meant to address daily, routine student discipline
issues, not emergency or crisis situations.
Ø empowers educators at a site to:
o
develop a distinct
student discipline plan unique to their site [staff]
o
revoke special K-8 attendance permits for behavior
[principal or designee].
o
refer (or re-refer) students with habitual behavioral
problems regardless of the offense to Student Services when a site feels they
have exhausted their resources [principal or designee].
o
exclude disruptive students from their class until a
conference with the teacher is held [teacher].
o
have access to student records (including the records of a
criminal nature or chronic behavioral problems not sealed by the court)
[teacher and counselors].
o
establish a set of “minimum consequences” that will be
implemented for misbehaving students [staff].
o
receive de-escalation training at their site [staff].
o
receive
information regarding the outcome of any referral of a student to Student
Services from the building’s representative at the meeting and through
official summaries sent by Student Services to the building [teachers].
o
review and devise IEP’s for special education students that
provides for the safety of that student as well as the safety of students and
staff at the site [teachers].
o
review, discuss, and revise their site’s discipline plan on
a regular basis [staff].
The
Handbook…
Ø clearly states that special education students are not exempt
from facing “serious consequences, including possible expulsion” for bringing
weapons such as guns, firearms, knives, ‘stars,’ etc. to school.”
Ø clearly states that “district policies and procedures on
discipline can be applied” to special education students as long as the
“student’s behavior is not a manifestation of a student’s disability.”
Ø outlines what students and parents need to know about the
building’s discipline plan.
Ø contains district forms for referrals, the Student Services
planning sheet for students referred to student services, detailed information
of disciplinary procedures to be used with individuals with disabilities
(IDEA), among other reference materials.
Ø lists the number for Nebraska Crime Stoppers for
individuals (especially students) to report any suspicious behavior:
1-800-422-1494.
Ø is located on the LEA web site: http://www.lincolneducationassociation.org/memberresources.html