HB 17-1210

HB 17-1210, also known as the School Discipline For Preschool Through 2nd Grade bill, aims to protect young students by limiting how schools can punish them. It stops schools from expelling kids in preschool through second grade and restricts suspensions to no more than five school days under specific conditions. The bill requires schools to create strategies that help prevent these punishments for younger children and expands support services for at-risk students and their families. Since the bill has been signed, it is now law and schools must follow its guidelines regarding discipline for young students.

Official Summary

With regard to students enrolled in preschool, kindergarten, first grade, or second grade, the bill prohibits a school district, board of cooperative services, charter school, or public preschool program (enrolling entity) from expelling a student, except as specifically required by federal law, and allows the enrolling entity to impose an out-of-school suspension on the student only under specified circumstances for 3 school days. Under additional specified circumstances, the enrolling entity may extend the out-of-school suspension to a total of 5 school days. Each school district and charter school must ensure that its school discipline code reflects the requirements specified in the bill. The state board of education cannot waive the provisions concerning expulsion and suspension of young students for school districts or charter schools. The bill specifies that school districts are required to adopt prevention and early intervention strategies to reduce the need for early childhood and early elementary grade suspensions and expulsions. The bill expands the expelled and at-risk student services grant program to include services for preschool, kindergarten, and early elementary grade students and their families. (Note: This summary applies to the reengrossed version of this bill as introduced in the second house.)

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