Your child will be expected to comply with his/her school's discipline plan. A copy of the plan can be obtained from the principal's office. The teachers and support staff members are primarily responsible for the maintenance of proper student behavior. Every reasonable effort is made to solve discipline problems before they are referred to the principal.

Joint School District #2 observes the following guidelines when disciplining children with disabilities:

• No student with disabilities can ever be permanently expelled from all educational services for behavior related to the disability.
• Corporal punishment (spanking or striking a child) can never be used with children who have disabilities.
• Children cannot be punished for their behavior that results from their disabilities.
• Behavior programs based on positive methods, rather than aversive or negative methods, must be developed for children with behavior problems.
• Mechanical restraints, such as handcuffs or belts, and physical restraints such as holding a child down on the floor, cannot be used except in emergency situations where there is clear and immediate danger to the student or to someone else. This does not apply to safety restraint if the parents agree to its use and have it included in the IEP.
• School officials may never use the following methods as a behavior modification tool or discipline a child with a disability: noxious substances or electric shock; deprivation of food, water, fresh air or other basic human needs; or treating a child in a demeaning way.
• Only school employees who have been trained in the behavior methods may help implement the behavior program.

Since your child's disability may affect his/her behavior, the law is very specific as to allowable disciplinary actions afforded to schools. These are summarized as follows:

• School officials can suspend children receiving special education for not more than 10 consecutive school days. Special education services may cease during this time. Parents must be given notice of the suspension. If you disagree with the recommendation for suspension, then your rights to a due process hearing apply.
• Before a student can be removed from school for more than 10 cumulative school days, or before a change of placement can occur, the district must conduct a functional behavior assessment and implement a behavior intervention plan designed to address the behavior in a positive manner.
• If a student carries or possesses a weapon or illicit drugs or other controlled substances, a school official may place the student in an interim alternative educational setting for not more than 45 days.
• A Manifestation Determination is a review of the relationship between the student's disability and the behavior resulting in disciplinary action. This review must take place before a student can be removed from the general education school setting.
• For violations involving weapons or drugs;
• Because a hearing officer believes the child may be likely to cause harm or injury to himself or others;
• When a student is removed from school for more than 10 consecutive days;
• When a series of removals is due to a pattern of behavior.

REMEMBER:
If you feel that the behavior you child is being disciplined for is a result of your child's disability, check to see if appropriate accommodations were made for the child's disability and ask to review the behavior program or procedure for your child.