Changes Made to Discipline, Code of Student Conduct and Due Process Policies
July 18, 2011 - The Wake County Board of Education approved major revisions to the district’s discipline policies that should keep students on track to graduate by reducing the use of zero tolerance and decreasing the frequency and length of school suspensions.
Board members approved the changes to the Discipline, Code of Student Conduct and Due Process policies during their July 12 meeting. The revised policies will be in effect for the 2011-12 school year.
The policy changes eliminate mandatory suspensions, except where required by law. The changes should reduce the frequency and length of suspensions with the goal of keeping students in school, improving academic performance, and increasing graduation rates. The updated policies will continue to provide principals with the tools they need to keep schools safe and to administer discipline fairly and consistently.
The biggest changes can be found in Policy 6410, Code of Student Conduct, which now contains a range of disciplinary actions, grouped by level, along with an explanation of the offenses included at each level. The policy contains five levels of disciplinary actions starting with in-school consequences at Level I to expulsion at Level V. The policy change is designed to prevent long-term suspensions for relatively minor infractions.
A Professional Learning Team examining alternatives to suspensions, the Economically Disadvantaged Task Force, the Superintendent’s Leadership Team and the Division of Principals and Assistant Principals discussed the policy changes prior to approval by the board. Board attorney Ann Majestic reviewed and approved all the revisions.
Parents and students should familiarize themselves with all the changes associated with the Discipline, Code of Student Conduct and Due Process policies. You can review the policies online at www.wcpss.net/policy-files/ or in the 2011-12 Student/Parent Handbook posted on our website.
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