| Appendix II: Pupil Fair Dismissal Act |
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| 121A.40 Citation. Sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 may be cited as the "Pupil Fair Dismissal Act." Definitions. Subdivision 1. Applicability. As used in sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, the terms defined in this section shall have the meanings assigned them. Subd. 2. Dismissal. "Dismissal" means the denial of the current educational program to any pupil, including exclusion, expulsion, and suspension. It does not include removal from class. Subd. 3. District. "District" means any school district. Subd. 4. Exclusion. "Exclusion" means an action taken by the school board to prevent enrollment or reenrollment of a pupil for a period that shall not extend beyond the school year. Subd. 5. Expulsion. "Expulsion" means a school board action to prohibit an enrolled pupil from further attendance for up to 12 months from the date the pupil is expelled. Subd. 6. Parent. "Parent" means (a) one of the pupil's parents, (b) in the case of divorce or legal separation, the parent or parents with physical custody of the pupil, including a noncustodial parent with legal custody who has provided the district with a current address and telephone number, or (c) a legally appointed guardian. In the case of a pupil with a disability under the age of 18, parent may include a district-appointed surrogate parent. Subd. 7. Pupil. "Pupil" means any student: (1) without a disability under 21 years of age; or (2) with a disability until September 1 after the child with a disability becomes 22 years of age; (3) and who remains eligible to attend a public elementary or secondary school. Subd. 8. School. "School" means any school defined in section 120A.05, subdivisions 9, 11, 13, and 17. Subd. 9. School board. "School board" means the governing body of any school district. Subd. 10. Suspension. "Suspension" means an action by the school administration, under rules promulgated by the school board, prohibiting a pupil from attending school for a period of no more than ten school days. If a suspension is longer than five days, the suspending administrator must provide the superintendent with a reason for the longer suspension. This definition does not apply to dismissal from school for one school day or less, except as provided in federal law for a student with a disability. Each suspension action may include a readmission plan. The readmission plan shall include, where appropriate, a provision for implementing alternative educational services upon readmission and may not be used to extend the current suspension. Consistent with section 125A.091, subdivision 5, the readmission plan must not obligate a parent to provide a sympathomimetic medication for the parent's child as a condition of readmission. The school administration may not impose consecutive suspensions against the same pupil for the same course of conduct, or incident of misconduct, except where the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property, or where the district is in the process of initiating an expulsion, in which case the school administration may extend the suspension to a total of 15 days. In the case of a student with a disability, the student's individual education plan team must meet immediately but not more than ten school days after the date on which the decision to remove the student from the student's current education placement is made. The individual education plan team and other qualified personnel shall at that meeting: conduct a review of the relationship between the child's disability and the behavior subject to disciplinary action; and determine the appropriateness of the child's education plan. The requirements of the individual education plan team meeting apply when: (1) the parent requests a meeting; (2) the student is removed from the student's current placement for five or more consecutive days; or (3) the student's total days of removal from the student's placement during the school year exceed ten cumulative days in a school year. The school administration shall implement alternative educational services when the suspension exceeds five days. A separate administrative conference is required for each period of suspension. Subd. 11. Alternative educational services. "Alternative educational services" may include, but are not limited to, special tutoring, modified curriculum, modified instruction, other modifications or adaptations, instruction through electronic media, special education services as indicated by appropriate assessment, homebound instruction, supervised homework, or enrollment in another district or in an alternative learning center under section 123A.05 selected to allow the pupil to progress toward meeting graduation standards under section 120B.02, although in a different setting. 121A.42 Policy. No public school shall deny due process or equal protection of the law to any public school pupil involved in a dismissal proceeding which may result in suspension, exclusion, or expulsion. 121A.43 Exclusion and expulsion of pupils with a disability. When a pupil who has an individual education plan is excluded or expelled under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 for misbehavior that is not a manifestation of the pupil's disability, the district shall continue to provide special education and related services after a period of suspension, if suspension is imposed. The district shall initiate a review of the pupil's individual education plan and conduct a review of the relationship between the pupil's disability and the behavior subject to disciplinary action and determine the appropriateness of the pupil's education plan before commencing an expulsion or exclusion. 121A.44 Expulsion for possession of firearm. (a) Notwithstanding the time limitation in section 121A.41, subdivision 5, a school board must expel for a period of at least one year a pupil who is determined to have brought a firearm to school except the board may modify this expulsion requirement for a pupil on a case-by-case basis. For the purposes of this section, firearm is as defined in United States Code, title 18, section 921. (b) Notwithstanding chapter 13, a student's expulsion or withdrawal or transfer from a school after an expulsion action is initiated against the student for a weapons violation under paragraph (a) may be disclosed by the school district initiating the expulsion proceeding. Unless the information is otherwise public, the disclosure may be made only to another school district in connection with the possible admission of the student to the other district. 121A.45 Grounds for dismissal. Subdivision 1. Provision of alternative programs. No school shall dismiss any pupil without attempting to provide alternative educational services before dismissal proceedings, except where it appears that the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property. Subd. 2. Grounds for dismissal. A pupil may be dismissed on any of the following grounds: (a) willful violation of any reasonable school board regulation. Such regulation must be clear and definite to provide notice to pupils that they must conform their conduct to its requirements; (b) willful conduct that significantly disrupts the rights of others to an education, or the ability of school personnel to perform their duties, or school sponsored extracurricular activities; or (c) willful conduct that endangers the pupil or other pupils, or surrounding persons, including school district employees, or property of the school. Subd. 3. Parent notification and meeting. If a pupil's total days of removal from school exceeds ten cumulative days in a school year, the school district shall make reasonable attempts to convene a meeting with the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian before subsequently removing the pupil from school and, with the permission of the parent or guardian, arrange for a mental health screening for the pupil. The district is not required to pay for the mental health screening. The purpose of this meeting is to attempt to determine the pupilÕs need for assessment or other services or whether the parent or guardian should have the pupil assessed or diagnosed to determine whether the pupil needs treatment for a mental health disorder. 121A.46 Suspension procedures. Subdivision 1. Informal administrative conference before suspension. The school administration shall not suspend a pupil from school without an informal administrative conference with the pupil. The informal administrative conference shall take place before the suspension, except where it appears that the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to self or to surrounding persons or property, in which case the conference shall take place as soon as practicable following the suspension. Subd. 2. Administrator notifies pupil of grounds for suspension. At the informal administrative conference, a school administrator shall notify the pupil of the grounds for the suspension, provide an explanation of the evidence the authorities have, and the pupil may present the pupil's version of the facts. Subd. 3. Written notice of grounds for suspension. A written notice containing the grounds for suspension, a brief statement of the facts, a description of the testimony, a readmission plan, and a copy of sections 121A.40 to 121A.56, shall be personally served upon the pupil at or before the time the suspension is to take effect, and upon the pupil's parent or guardian by mail within 48 hours of the conference. The district shall make reasonable efforts to notify the parents of the suspension by telephone as soon as possible following suspension. In the event a pupil is suspended without an informal administrative conference on the grounds that the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger to surrounding persons or property, the written notice shall be served upon the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian within 48 hours of the suspension. Service by mail is complete upon mailing. Subd. 4. Suspension pending expulsion or exclusion hearing. Notwithstanding the provisions of subdivisions 1 and 3, the pupil may be suspended pending the school board's decision in the expulsion or exclusion hearing; provided that alternative educational services are implemented to the extent that suspension exceeds five days. 121A.47 Exclusion and expulsion procedures. Subdivision 1. Requiring a hearing; pupil may waive hearing. No exclusion or expulsion shall be imposed without a hearing, unless the right to a hearing is waived in writing by the pupil and parent or guardian. The action shall be initiated by the school board or its agent. Subd. 2. Written notice. Written notice of intent to take action shall: (a) be served upon the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian personally or by mail; (b) contain a complete statement of the facts, a list of the witnesses and a description of their testimony; (c) state the date, time, and place of the hearing; (d) be accompanied by a copy of sections 121A.40 to 121A.56; (e) describe alternative educational services accorded the pupil in an attempt to avoid the expulsion proceedings; and (f) inform the pupil and parent or guardian of the right to: (1) have a representative of the pupil's own choosing, including legal counsel, at the hearing. The district shall advise the pupil's parent or guardian that free or low-cost legal assistance may be available and that a legal assistance resource list is available from the department of children, families, and learning; (2) examine the pupil's records before the hearing; (3) present evidence; and (4) confront and cross-examine witnesses. Subd. 3. Hearing schedule. The hearing shall be scheduled within ten days of the service of the written notice unless an extension, not to exceed five days, is requested for good cause by the school board, pupil, parent or guardian. Subd. 4. Convenient time and place of hearing. The hearing shall be at a time and place reasonably convenient to pupil, parent or guardian. Subd. 5. Closed or open hearing. The hearing shall be closed unless the pupil, parent or guardian requests an open hearing. Subd. 6. Impartial hearer. The hearing shall take place before: (1) an independent hearing officer; (2) a member of the school board; (3) a committee of the school board; or (4) the full school board; as determined by the school board. The hearing shall be conducted in a fair and impartial manner. Subd. 7. Creating hearing record. The school board shall record the hearing proceedings at district expense, and a party may obtain a transcript at its own expense. Testimony shall be given under oath. The hearing officer or a member of the school board shall have the power to issue subpoenas and administer oaths. Subd. 8. Access to pupil's records. At a reasonable time prior to the hearing, the pupil, parent or guardian, or representative, shall be given access to all public school system records pertaining to the pupil, including any tests or reports upon which the proposed action may be based. Subd. 9. Pupil's right to compel testimony. The pupil, parent or guardian, or representative, shall have the right to compel the attendance of any official employee or agent of the public school system or any public employee or any other person who may have evidence upon which the proposed action may be based, and to confront and to cross-examine any witness testifying for the public school system. Subd. 10. Pupil's right to present evidence and testimony. The pupil, parent or guardian, or representative, shall have the right to present evidence and testimony, including expert psychological or educational testimony. Subd. 11. Pupil not compelled to testify. The pupil cannot be compelled to testify in the dismissal proceedings. Subd. 12. Hearer's recommendation limited to evidence at hearing; service within two days. The recommendation of the hearing officer or school board member or committee shall be based solely upon substantial evidence presented at the hearing and must be made to the school board and served upon the parties within two days of the end of the hearing. Subd. 13. Basis of school board decision; opportunity for comment. The school board shall base its decision upon the recommendation of the hearing officer or school board member or committee and shall render its decision at a meeting held within five days after receiving the recommendation. The school board may provide the parties with the opportunity to present exceptions and comments to the hearing officer's recommendations provided that neither party presents any evidence not admitted at the hearing. The decision by the school board must be based on the record, must be in writing, and must state the controlling facts on which the decision is made in sufficient detail to apprise the parties and the commissioner of education of the basis and reason for the decision. Subd. 14. Admission or readmission plan. (a) A school administrator shall prepare and enforce an admission or readmission plan for any pupil who is excluded or expelled from school. The plan may include measures to improve the pupil's behavior, including completing a character education program, consistent with section 120B.225, subdivision 1, and require parental involvement in the admission or readmission process, and may indicate the consequences to the pupil of not improving the pupil's behavior. (b) The definition of suspension under section 121A.41, subdivision 10, does not apply to a student's dismissal from school for one school day or less, except as provided under federal law for a student with a disability. Each suspension action may include a readmission plan. A readmission plan must provide, where appropriate, alternative education services, which must not be used to extend the student's current suspension period. Consistent with section 125A.091, subdivision 5, a readmission plan must not obligate a parent or guardian to provide psychotropic drugs to their student as a condition of readmission. School officials must not use the refusal of a parent or guardian to consent to the administration of psychotropic drugs to their student or to consent to a psychiatric evaluation, screening or examination of the student as a ground, by itself, to prohibit the student from attending class or participating in a school-related activity, or as a basis of a charge of child abuse, child neglect or medical or educational neglect. 121A.48 Good faith exception. A violation of the technical provisions of the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act, made in good faith, is not a defense to a disciplinary procedure under the act unless the pupil can demonstrate actual prejudice as a result of the violation. 121A.49 Appeal. A party to an exclusion or expulsion decision made under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 may appeal the decision to the commissioner of education within 21 calendar days of school board action. Upon being served with a notice of appeal, the district shall provide the commissioner and the parent or guardian with a complete copy of the hearing record within five days of its receipt of the notice of appeal. All written submissions by the appellant must be submitted and served on the respondent within ten days of its actual receipt of the transcript. All written submissions by the respondent must be submitted and served on the appellant within ten days of its actual receipt of the written submissions of the appellant. The decision of the school board must be implemented during the appeal to the commissioner. In an appeal under this section, the commissioner may affirm the decision of the agency, may remand the decision for additional findings, or may reverse or modify the decision if the substantial rights of the petitioners have been prejudiced because the administrative findings, inferences, conclusions, or decisions are: (1) in violation of constitutional provisions; (2) in excess of the statutory authority or jurisdiction of the school district; (3) made upon unlawful procedure, except as provided in section 121A.48; (4) affected by other error of law; (5) unsupported by substantial evidence in view of the entire record submitted; or (6) arbitrary or capricious. The commissioner or the commissioner's representative shall make a final decision based upon the record. The commissioner shall issue a decision within 30 calendar days of receiving the entire record and the parties' written submission on appeal. The commissioner's decision shall be final and binding upon the parties after the time for appeal expires under section 121A.50. 121A.50 Judicial review. The decision of the commissioner of education made under sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 is subject to judicial review under sections 14.63 to 14.69. The decision of the commissioner is stayed pending an appeal under this section. 121A.51 Reports to service agency. The school board shall report any action taken pursuant to sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 to the appropriate public service agency, when the pupil is under the supervision of such agency. 121A.52 Nonapplication of compulsory attendance law. The provisions of section 120A.22, subdivision 5, shall not apply to any pupil during a dismissal pursuant to sections 121A.40 to 121A.56. 121A.53 Report to commissioner of education. Subdivision 1. Exclusions and expulsions. The school board must report through the department electronic reporting system each exclusion or expulsion within 30 days of the effective date of the action to the commissioner of education. This report must include a statement of alternative educational services given the pupil and the reason for, the effective date, and the duration of the exclusion or expulsion. The report must also include the student's age, grade, gender, race, and special education status. Subd. 2. Report. The school board must include state student identification numbers of affected pupils on all dismissal reports required by the department. The department must report annually to the commissioner summary data on the number of dismissals by age, grade, gender, race, and special education status of the affected pupils. All dismissal reports must be submitted through the department electronic reporting system. 121A.54 Notice of right to be reinstated. Whenever a pupil fails to return to school within ten school days of the termination of dismissal, a school administrator shall inform the pupil and the pupil's parents by mail of the pupil's right to attend and to be reinstated in the public school. 121A.55 Policies to be established. (a) The commissioner of education shall promulgate guidelines to assist each school board. Each school board shall establish uniform criteria for dismissal and adopt written policies and rules to effectuate the purposes of sections 121A.40 to 121A.56. The policies shall emphasize preventing dismissals through early detection of problems and shall be designed to address students' inappropriate behavior from recurring. The policies shall recognize the continuing responsibility of the school for the education of the pupil during the dismissal period. The alternative educational services, if the pupil wishes to take advantage of them, must be adequate to allow the pupil to make progress towards meeting the graduation standards adopted under section 120B.02 and help prepare the pupil for readmission. (b) An area learning center under section 123A.05 may not prohibit an expelled or excluded pupil from enrolling solely because a district expelled or excluded the pupil. The board of the area learning center may use the provisions of the Pupil Fair Dismissal Act to exclude a pupil or to require an admission plan. (c) Each school district shall develop a policy and report it to the commissioner on the appropriate use of peace officers and crisis teams to remove students who have an individualized education plan from school grounds. 121A.56 Application. Subdivision 1. Prohibition against discrimination remains in effect. Sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 shall not be deemed to amend or otherwise affect or change section 363.03, subdivision 5, clause (2). Subd. 2. Portions of school program for credit. Sections 121A.40 to 121A.56 shall apply only to those portions of the school program for which credit is granted. Updated 2/15/06 |
PUPIL FAIR DISMISSAL ACT.pdf