School Discipline Guide

Minnesota Students with Disabilities - Parent Information

1 – Introduction
2 – Begin the Discipline Guide
- 3 – On IEP and the discipline is?
  - 4 – Recess detention
  - 5 – Removal from class
  - 6 – Sent home before the end of the school day
  - 7 – Restraint or removal from school by a peace officer
  - 8 – In-school suspension
  - 9 – Suspension from the bus
    - 10 – IEP includes transportation
    - 11 – IEP does not include transportation
  - 12 – Out-of-school suspension
    - 13 – Up to five days
    - 14 – More than five days
    - 15 – More than 10 consecutive school days or more than 10 total school days for this school year
      - 16 – Manifestation determination meeting required
        
        17 – Manifestation determination meeting outcome
        
        18 – YES to at least one question
        
        19 – Conduct DID involve a weapon, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury
        
        20 – Conduct did NOT involve a weapon, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury
        
        21 – NO to both questions
        
        22 – Conduct DID involve a weapon, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury
        
        23 – Conduct did NOT involve a weapon, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury
      - 24 – NO manifestation determination meeting required
  - 25 – Expulsion or exclusion
    - 26 – Manifestation determination meeting outcome
      - 27 – YES to at least one question
        
        28 – Conduct DID involve a weapon, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury
        
        29 – Conduct did NOT involve a weapon, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury
      - 30 – NO to both questions
        
        31 – School board expulsion or exclusion hearing
        
        32 – School board decision is to expel or exclude your child from the district
        
        33 – Appealing a school board expulsion or exclusion decision
        
        34 – Withdrawing your child from the school district
  - 35 – Concerns about the school not following required discipline procedures
36 – Conclusion
Definitions

Out-of-school suspension

If your child is in preschool/PreK or kindergarten through 3rd grade:

Under the PFDA,* students enrolled in a preschool or prekindergarten program (including an early childhood family education, school readiness, voluntary prekindergarten, Head Start, or other school-based preschool or prekindergarten program) or in kindergarten through 3rd grade are NOT subject to out-of-school suspensions.* This does not apply to dismissals for less than one school day. However, for a student with an IEP,* a dismissal for less than one school day counts as a disciplinary removal.*¹

If your child is in preschool/PreK or kindergarten through 3rd grade and you have concerns that they have been issued an out-of-school suspension, for one day or more or if you have questions about a dismissal for less than one school day, reach out to your district's special education director on the Minnesota Department of Education’s online directory or contact a PACER advocate.

Go to conclusion >>>

If your child is in 4th grade or above:

Consecutive School Days	And / Or	School Days Total for this school year	Next Step
< 6	And	< 11	If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for up to five consecutive school days AND the total number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year do NOT add up to more than 10 school days: Continue here >>>
> 5	And	< 11	If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for more than five consecutive school days AND the total number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year do NOT add up to more than 10 school days: Continue here >>>
> 10	Or	> 10	If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for more than 10 consecutive school days OR any number of school days that make the TOTAL number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year add up to more than 10 school days: Continue here >>>

Consecutive School Days

And / Or

School Days Total for this school year

Next Step

< 6

And

< 11

If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for up to five consecutive school days AND the total number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year do NOT add up to more than 10 school days:

Continue here >>>

> 5

And

< 11

If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for more than five consecutive school days AND the total number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year do NOT add up to more than 10 school days:

Continue here >>>

> 10

If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for more than 10 consecutive school days OR any number of school days that make the TOTAL number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year add up to more than 10 school days:

Continue here >>>

Minnesota Statutes
1 - Minn. Stat. § 121A.425, subd. 1.

* - definitions

This resource is made possible with funding from the Minnesota Department of Education.

School Discipline Guide

Table of Contents

Out-of-school suspension

If your child is in preschool/PreK or kindergarten through 3rd grade:

If your child is in 4th grade or above:

If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for up to five consecutive school days AND the total number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year do NOT add up to more than 10 school days:

If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for more than five consecutive school days AND the total number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year do NOT add up to more than 10 school days:

If the discipline is an out-of-school suspension for more than 10 consecutive school days OR any number of school days that make the TOTAL number of out-of-school suspensions for this school year add up to more than 10 school days: