School Discipline Rules for Students with Disabilities

School Discipline Rules for Students with Disabilities

Updated June 2024

In 2016, major changes were made to school discipline law in Washington state that apply to all

public school students. The changes include:

• new limits on the maximum length of suspensions and expulsions;
• new limits on the reasons students can be suspended or expelled for more than 10 school days;
• new requirements for districts to provide educational services during any suspensions or expulsions; and
• new requirements for culturally responsive and culturally sensitive re-engagement meetings.

Students with disabilities are protected by these new changes, in addition to the protections in special education rules.

When can students be suspended or expelled for more than 10 school days?

Under special education rules, except in special circumstances, schools may not suspend or expel a student with disabilities for more than 10 school days if the conduct was a “manifestation” of the student’s disability or was due to the district’s failure to implement the IEP. Now, under discipline rules that apply to ALL students, schools may not suspend or expel ANY student for more than 10 school days unless the conduct fits within one of 4 categories of “non-discretionary offenses.”

Those categories include:

1. A violation of the prohibition against firearms on school premises, transportation, or facilities;
2. Certain violent offenses, sex offenses, offenses related to liquor, controlled substances, toxic inhalants, certain crimes related to firearms, assault, kidnapping, harassment, and arson;
3. Two or more violations within a three-year period of criminal gang intimidation or other gang activity on school grounds, possessing dangerous weapons on school facilities, willfully disobeying school administrators or refusing to leave public property, or defacing or injuring school property; or
4. Behavior that adversely impacts the health or safety of other students or educational staff.

If the student’s conduct does not fall within one of those categories, the student MAY NOT be suspended or expelled for more than 10 school days.

When does a district have to provide Educational Services?

Under special education rules, if a student with an IEP is removed for more than 10 school days for disciplinary reasons, the district must provide educational services in an “Interim Alternative Education Setting.” The services must allow the student to continue to make progress on their IEP goals and to continue participating in the general education curriculum. The setting is determined by the IEP team. Under the new discipline rules, now, ALL students must have an opportunity to access educational services during ANY suspension or expulsion, even if it is less than 10 school days.

What kind of meeting is required when a student is suspended for more than 10 days?

When a student is suspended or expelled for more than 10 school days, the school must invite the family and the student to a RE-ENGAGEMENT meeting to develop a plan to support the student’s successful return to school. Families must have an opportunity to give meaningful input to the plan. Re- engagement plans must be culturally sensitive and culturally responsive. A re-engagement meeting must be held either:

• Within 20 days of the start of the suspension or expulsion if it is for longer than 20 days; or
• No later than 5 days before the student will return to school if the suspension or expulsion is less than 20 days.

Where you can have an impact:

• Ask the school how you can get educational services started right away, even if the student will not be out for more than 10 school days.
• Review the list of “non-discretionary offenses” and consider whether a long-term suspension or expulsion is permitted for the kind of conduct involved.
• If the student will be out for more than 10 school days, talk with the school and district about planning in advance for the student’s re-engagement with school.
• Remember, students with disabilities and their parents have the same rights to appeal suspensions or expulsions as any student. The protections in special education rules are in addition to those basic rights.

For more information about re-engagement meetings, and to find tips for families, check out OEO’s webpage on Suspensions, Expulsions and Discipline: https://www.oeo.wa.gov/en/education-issues/discipline-suspensions-and-expulsions.

Steps that Schools Must Take to Discipline Students with Disabilities

What is a school district supposed to do if my student with a disability breaks a school rule that would normally require suspension for more than 10 school days or an expulsion?

1. Give notice.
2. Have a manifestation determination meeting.
3. Look at the behavior and develop a functional behavior plan.

A change in placement occurs when a student who receives special education services is removed from school for a period of more than 10 school days in a row or experiences a pattern of shorter removals that over time exceed 10 school days. Long term suspensions and expulsions are considered a change of placement. If the district wants to order a change of placement for a student receiving special education services, it must follow the steps outlined above before the change can be implemented. School district staff may consider any unique circumstances on a case-by-case basis when deciding whether to order a change in placement for a student with a disability who violates a code of conduct.

What notice is required when a school district wants to remove my student with disabilities from school for any period of time?

The school district must give written notice of the decision to remove the student AND describe the procedural protections available.

Notice must be given no later than the date that the decision to remove the student is made. The law says the written notice must be given to parents of the disciplined student.

What is a manifestation determination and why is it important when my student who receives special education services gets disciplined at school?

A manifestation determination is what a district must do when a student is facing a suspension or expulsion for more than 10 school days. The manifestation determination requires the school district, the parent and relevant members of the student’s IEP Team to meet and consider whether the student’s behavior is related to their disability.

This meeting has huge consequences for a student and the stability of the student’s educational placement.

If there is a relationship between the disability and the behavior, then the student cannot be punished, and several things must happen. The student must be allowed to return to the educational placement that he or she attended prior to the disciplinary removal unless special circumstances (described below) exist or unless the parent and the district agree otherwise. In addition, the student must receive a functional behavior assessment and behavior intervention plan or have their existing plan reviewed and modified, as necessary, to address the behavior.

If it is determined that there is no relationship between the disability and the behavior, then the disciplinary procedures concerning non-disabled students can be applied, and the student can be suspended or expelled. However, the school 1) must provide educational services to the student, although services may be provided in an interim alternative educational setting and 2) perform, as appropriate, a functional behavior assessment and develop a behavior intervention plan.

See “Weapons, Drugs, Serious Bodily Injury, Dangerous Behavior and Interim Alternative Educational Settings” below for information on special circumstances when a student can be removed from their educational placement even if it is decided at a manifestation determination meeting that the student’s behavior was related to their disability.

Where you can have an impact

Act quickly if your student is excluded from school. It may be several days before you receive notice or information about why they are not allowed to return.

Be sure to contact the person in charge of discipline and let them know that your student has a disability.

If the school proposes to keep your student out of school for more than ten school days, it is important that the school district is quick to schedule a meeting regarding the behavior and its relationship to your student’s disability.

Monitoring discipline issues and being aware of the rights of students with disabilities will reduce the number of days your student is without educational services.

Bring the special needs of your student to the attention of school district administration. If you think that the school administration is not listening to you, call the district’s Director of Special Education.

Ask for an IEP or 504 meeting.

Ask that educational services be provided during the period of exclusion.

When does the manifestation determination meeting have to take place?

The manifestation determination must take place immediately, if possible, but in no case later than 10 school days after the date the district decides to change the placement of the student for disciplinary reasons.

Who is a part of the manifestation determination meeting?

The district, the parents and relevant members of the IEP Team.

IDEA says the manifestation determination team consists of the parent and those members of the IEP Team the parents and school district determine to be relevant to the decision making, implying not all IEP Team members need to be present. Note you can always ask for certain members to be present if you think the information they have will be valuable to the manifestation determination process.

Throughout this publication, we will refer to the team that makes decisions at a manifestation determination meeting as the “manifestation determination team.” If we are referring to situations where the full IEP Team is present, we will indicate “IEP Team.”

What does the manifestation determination team consider when conducting the manifestation determination?

The manifestation determination team must take into consideration all relevant information.

The manifestation determination team must consider:

• Evaluation and diagnostic results, including those provided by the parents of the student
• Observations of the student
• The student’s individualized education program.

What questions must the manifestation determination team ask as part of the manifestation determination?

Under IDEA and state special education law, the manifestation determination team must ask:

1. Was the student’s conduct caused by, or did it have a direct and substantial relationship to, the student’s disability?
2. Was the conduct the direct result of the school district’s failure to implement the current IEP?

If after consideration the manifestation determination team determines that the answer is “YES” to either of the above questions, then the behavior must be considered a manifestation of the student’s disability and the discipline cannot be imposed. The student must be allowed to return to the educational placement they attended prior to the disciplinary removal unless special circumstances exist or unless the parent and the district agree otherwise. If it is determined the student’s behavior was the direct result of the district’s failure to implement the student’s IEP, the district must take immediate steps to ensure the IEP is implemented.

In some cases, a student may be acting out because the services or programs outlined in the IEP are inappropriate, even though the IEP is being implemented. IDEA does not prevent the parents or advocate from also asking that the manifestation determination team consider whether the IEP was appropriate at the time the behavior occurred. In addition, you can always ask for another meeting with the IEP Team and request that the IEP Team change the IEP or your student’s placement because your student needs additional services or a different educational setting to be successful.

Weapons, Drugs, Serious Bodily Injury, Dangerous Behavior, and Interim Alternative Educational Settings

There are four special circumstances in which a student receiving special education services can be removed from their current placement immediately, and for up to 45 school days regardless of whether the behavior was a manifestation of the student’s disability. They include when the disciplinary incident involves weapons, drugs or serious bodily injury.

The district can ask a judge to order the student removed for up to 45 school days.

No matter how or why the student is removed from school, students who receive special education services must continue to get educational services in an alternative setting. This alternative setting is called an interim alternative education setting or IAES. The IEP Team determines the interim setting.

Guns/weapons	District may remove student to an IAES for up to 45 school days
Drugs	District may remove student to an IAES for up to 45 school days
Serious Bodily Injury	District may remove student to an IAES for up to 45 school days
Dangerous Behavior	District may ask a judge to remove a student to an IAES for up to 45 school days

What can happen to a student who receives special education services if the student brings a weapon to school?

A district can remove a student to another educational setting for up to 45 school days if the student possesses a weapon or carries a weapon to school or to a school function. “Weapon” means a weapon, device, material, or substance, or animate or inanimate instrument that is used for, or is readily capable of, causing death or serious bodily injury. A weapon does not include a pocketknife with a blade of less 2 ½ inches long. Note: this is a different definition of weapon than the definition used in general education discipline laws and regulations.

What can happen to a student receiving special education services who has, uses, or sells drugs at school?

A district can remove the student to another educational setting for up to 45 school days if the student knowingly possesses or uses illegal drugs or sells or solicits the sale of a controlled substance while at school or a school function.

What can happen to a student receiving special education services who causes serious bodily harm to another person?

IDEA added a fourth category of misconduct which could lead a school to remove a student receiving special education services to an IAES. A district can remove a student to another educational setting for up to 45 school days if the student has inflicted serious bodily injury on another person while at school or at a school function. “Serious bodily injury” means bodily injury which involves:

1. a substantial risk of death,
2. extreme physical pain,
3. protracted and obvious disfigurement or,
4. protracted loss or impairment of the function of a bodily member, organ or mental faculty.

What can a district do when it believes a student’s behavior is too dangerous?

The district’s authority to automatically remove a student to an Interim Alternative Educational Setting (IAES) is limited to situations where there are drugs, weapons or serious bodily injury involved. If the district believes a student is engaging in dangerous behavior for another reason and wants to remove the student from the current special education program, the school needs to request a due process hearing and ask the hearing officer to order the student to an IAES for up to 45 school days. A hearing officer has the authority to change a student’s placement for 45 school days if maintaining the current placement is substantially likely to result in injury to the student or to others.

If the school district is successful in getting the hearing officer to order the student out of school, the district still has a responsibility to provide the student with an education.

Where you can have an impact

Review the IEP. Consider whether the proposed 45-day placement is a setting that can meet your student’s needs. If not, ask the IEP Team to consider additional services or a different setting.

Limitations on Discipline and Removal of Students with Disabilities

When considering whether to discipline a student with a disability, a district must first comply with the steps outlined in the previous section— notice, manifestation determination and examination of the functional behavior. If the relevant members of the IEP Team decide the behavior was not a manifestation of the disability, the district may proceed with disciplining the student. But there are limitations on how the district can discipline students receiving special education services.

How long can a student receiving special education services be removed from school without educational services?

See important changes in discipline laws at the start of this webpage.

Schools can order removals of less than 10 school days in the same school year for separate incidents of misconduct if the removals do not constitute a pattern of exclusion which is a change of placement and needs to be addressed through the IEP process. A series of removals—one day here, another day there—can be a pattern the IEP needs to address. To determine whether a series of removals is a pattern, consider the length of removals, the total amount of time, the proximity of one to the other, and the reason for the removals.

What educational services should be provided to a student who receives special education services if the student is removed from school for more than 10 school days in the same school year?

The school must continue to provide the services and program described in the student’s IEP, even if the student is suspended or expelled from school.

During any exclusion from school for more than 10 school days in the same school year, the school district must provide another educational setting where the student’s IEP can be implemented. The setting should be one allowing the student to participate in the general education curriculum and to progress towards achieving the goals set out in the IEP.

For example, if the student has goals and objectives to help improve social skills with peers, the alternative setting should allow opportunities and instruction for those peer interactions. A tutoring program at home is not enough. The alternative setting should also include services and modifications designed to address the behavior that resulted in the removal, so the behavior does not recur. The IEP Team makes the decision on what setting is appropriate if the removal is for more than 10 consecutive school days or constitutes a change of placement.

Where you can have an impact

Keep track of the number of days your student has been out of school. See important changes in discipline laws at the start of this webpage. Request educational services in an alternative setting.

Put your request in writing.

Protections for Students with Disabilities Who Have Not Been Found Eligible for Special Education

What are my student’s rights if they may have a disability but weren’t evaluated or found eligible for special education before being disciplined?

In some cases, students can get the same protections they would have had if they had been eligible for special education services before the disciplinary incident.

If you think your student may have a disability and your student is being disciplined but they have not yet been found eligible for special education services, then ask this question:

“Did the district know my student should have been evaluated or should have been receiving special education services?”

A student can get all of the protections for students receiving special education services if the district had knowledge of the student’s disability before the behavior resulting in disciplinary action.

What constitutes whether a district “had knowledge” of my student’s disability as described in the law?

Under IDEA and state special education law, the district had knowledge if:

• The parent expressed concerns in writing to supervisory, administrative staff of the district, or the teacher, that the student was in need of special education and related services or,
• The parent has specifically requested an evaluation of the student or,
• The student’s teacher has expressed specific concerns about the behavior or performance of the student to the district’s special education director or other special education supervisory personnel.

When can a district argue it did not have knowledge that my student had a disability before the behavior resulting in discipline occurred?

School districts are not considered to have knowledge of a student’s disability if the parent has refused a special education evaluation or special education services or if the student was evaluated and not found to be a student with a disability.

What if the district did not have knowledge of my student’s disability before the behavior resulting in discipline?

An evaluation can still be requested.

If you suspect your student has a disability but the district did not have knowledge of the disability, a request can still be made for an evaluation to see if your student is eligible for and needs special education services. This request for evaluation can take place during the time your student is out of school on the expulsion or suspension.

What if a request for evaluation is made during the time that my student is being disciplined?

The law requires the evaluation to take place quickly.

If an evaluation is requested during a period of disciplinary exclusion, the law requires the evaluation to be completed in an expedited or quick manner. It does not matter if the district knew about the disability previously. There is no set timeline in the law for completion of this expedited evaluation. It can probably be assumed that expedited means more quickly than the amount of time allowed when an evaluation is being done under normal circumstances when discipline is not an issue. Under the normal special education procedures, the district has 35 school days to complete the evaluation after receiving parental consent.

What if my child is found eligible for special education during the time he or she is suspended or expelled?

If a student is found eligible during the period of removal from school, the school district must start providing special education and related services.

What to do if Students with Disabilities are Wrongly Disciplined

What kind of things might indicate my student with disabilities is being wrongly disciplined?

There are several things to watch out for.

There are a variety of ways a student with a disability may be wrongly disciplined. Some examples are:

• Notice was not given.
• There are no IEP meetings to discuss functional behavior or a manifestation determination for a change in placement.
• The functional behavior was never properly examined when problems first arose.
• A behavior intervention plan was not put in place to deal with the student’s behavior in a good way.
• The manifestation determination was not done correctly:
  • The right questions were not considered.
  • The decision was not based on enough data.
  • The group making the decision was not made up of the right people.
  • The decision the behavior was not related to the disability seems wrong.
• If discipline is imposed:
  • It is too harsh for the behavior.
  • It is longer than 10 school days in a row.
  • It is more than 10 school days over time and it looks like a pattern that excludes the student from their IEP.
  • It is for 45 school days and the incident did not involve drugs, weapons or serious bodily injury, or it was not imposed by a hearing officer at a discipline hearing.
  • The student did not behave in the way the district says he or she behaved.

What can be done if my student with disabilities is being wrongly disciplined?

Your student can assert all the rights of a non-disabled student, as well as rights under special education law.

Students with disabilities can ask for both a special education due process hearing and a general education discipline hearing. Note there are limitations on who may ask for a special education due process hearing.

Think of these two procedures as two parallel roads running side by side. There can be cars traveling on both, perhaps at different speeds, but both going the same direction. It is the same when both a discipline and special education hearing are being scheduled. The two hearings are addressing some of the same issues, but they may not be directly related.

In most cases, if a special education matter is being pursued, the district should stop the general education discipline hearing process and resolve the special education issues before going on with the general discipline proceedings.

Ordinarily, if a special education due process hearing is requested, the student has a right to remain in their special education program until the hearing is resolved. This right is called “STAY PUT” and it refers to the student’s legal right to stay in the current educational program until a decision is made in the due process hearing. Despite stay put, the district may try to have the student removed through a separate court action or hearing.

There is a new and important exception to this rule under IDEA. If the parent requests a hearing to contest the discipline and 1) the student is in an interim alternative educational setting due to special circumstances (weapons, drugs, serious bodily injury or dangerous behavior) or 2) the student is in an interim alternative educational setting because the student’s behavior was not found to be related to the disability at the manifestation meeting, the student must remain in the IAES until the hearing officer makes a decision or until the end of the disciplinary removal, whichever comes first. (The parent and the district can agree otherwise.)

However, the school district must arrange for the hearing to take place within 20 school days of the request, and the hearing officer must make a decision within 10 school days of the hearing. In addition, a resolution session must take place within 7 calendar days of the request for a hearing unless the district and parent agree in writing to waive this process.

Where you can have an impact

Students with disabilities have all the rights given to general education students who are disciplined.

Review the Office of the Education Ombudsman’s webpage Discipline, Suspensions and Expulsions to learn more about challenging general education discipline.

Make sure you request a general education discipline hearing within the timelines stated in the discipline notice. You can cancel the hearing if the situation is resolved through the special education process.

If your student is eligible for special education services and is out of school for more than 10 school days, even for discipline reasons, the district must provide services to implement your student’s IEP. If a hearing has been requested and your student is out of school while waiting for the decision, be sure to remind the district of this obligation. You may not be able to assert “stay put” and have your child return to the educational placement, but he or she should not sit at home without any services in place!

Behavior Charged as a Crime

Can the school district call the police when a student with a disability gets in trouble?

Yes, schools may report crimes committed by students with disabilities and non-disabled students.

What if the incident is filed as a crime?

If the misconduct at school is referred to juvenile court and is charged as a crime, the youth will have either a public defender or other criminal defense attorney to advise and represent him or her on these charges. A youth who has been charged with a crime as a result of alleged misbehavior at school should immediately consult with a criminal defense attorney before discussing their school discipline case. For example, it may not be a good idea for the youth to make statements in a school discipline or due process hearing if the criminal matter has not been resolved. Those statements could be used against the youth in the criminal case.

The defense attorney should also be made aware of any disabilities that might affect whether the youth should be charged. For example, if the young person has a very low I.Q., the court may decide it isn’t right to take care of the matter in juvenile court.

Conclusion

All students are entitled to an education that helps prepare them for life. If students are disabled in some way, they may have a right to a vast array of services and accommodations to help them succeed. If your student needs more help than he or she is getting in school, advocate for special education services.

Students with disabilities also cannot be punished in school for behavior related to or the result of a disability. School districts must follow specific rules when seeking to punish a student with a disability. Notice of the intent to discipline must be given, the behavior must be examined and planned for, and a team of people must determine whether the behavior was related to the disability.

Even if the concerning behavior is not related to the disability, there are significant limits on how a student with a disability can be disciplined. Students with disabilities have strong protections under the law ensuring they will not unnecessarily lose their right to education.