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

Conclusion

It’s difficult for any parent to see their child struggling to meet behavioral expectations at school, especially when your child lacks the skills that they need to regulate themselves throughout the school day and engage with their classmates and teachers in all the ways they are expected to. When your child is subject to school discipline, they may lose more opportunities to build the behavioral skills they urgently need to learn.

Because your child has an IEP,* they have protections in disciplinary situations under the PFDA* and IDEA.* As the parent on the IEP team, you have an important role in working collaboratively with school staff to first investigate and understand why your child is struggling to meet behavioral expectations at school, and then build services and supports into their IEP that will meet their individual needs, help them make progress, and protect them from lost learning opportunities when they experience a minor obstacle or a major crisis.

Navigating the complicated worlds of special education and school discipline is not easy for any parent, but your child’s IEP is a powerful tool for addressing their behavioral struggles at school. You are not alone. Reach out for support when you need it.

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PACER Center is not a legal services agency and does not provide legal advice or legal representation. The content of this interactive guide is for informational and educational purposes only, is not legal advice, and should not be used as a substitute for legal advice.

* - definitions

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

School Discipline Guide

Table of Contents

Conclusion

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