New School Discipline Guidelines

(From The Washington Post) The Education Department released new guidance on discriminatory discipline practices aimed at cutting back on high rates of suspension and expulsion for students with disabilities. In the guidance, federal officials urged schools to reduce rates of suspension and expulsion for students with disabilities, as many schools continue to grapple with higher levels of student stress and misbehavior spurred by the coronavirus pandemic. Schools also should be training staff to help students with disabilities who struggle with their behavior without removing them from school, the guidance noted.

The guidance does not change any regulations or statutes surrounding the law, and mostly aims to clarify what’s already in federal civil rights laws. However, schools that fail to meet those legal obligations could be investigated for possible federal civil rights violations.

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