[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6181511,"mediaKeyId","5112879-91f3a6093c28dfafee8f406c528c0efc","parentId",5112879,"title","Madison County Schools proposes bus-discipline, cell-phone and handbook changes under state guidance","audioSeconds",2819,"startMs",3317795,"endMs",6136925,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112879-91f3a6093c28dfafee8f406c528c0efc&start=3317&end=6136","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112879-91f3a6093c28dfafee8f406c528c0efc/thumbnail_3317795.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6181511/Alabama/Madison-County-Schools-proposes-bus-discipline-cell-phone-and-handbook-changes-under-state-guidance","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181511-fd2a442aefeff53988307ba4b4f015cf/orig.mp4?Expires=1770542878&Signature=dcAoVkS7lNqFtYA3XnlbGnB7ir3JERiOmJDBym3pKvf0uSgQQnTgRZmQwxwhqZJZFtViAue8UXW5Y1lPEob2U5lwTXhgdj2hpHFO0U6k33Burw4fnRzcdumnSxQGZTX~ig-JcpElDTGYO2o6kDMKfh~z18nlgw85h5IobntEi5koyp~UP9lVPZ5dUJAiDVWHl1Y3uQyzlsywzEcSqH2z76WqNYAHajQu-hA5bBLYRXM0oyHEAknoz74HUVsNTtejqqmGd3qW01uNRxnwBeNDI0U~H1YCar6Nei3edDGFGZw9W~IsakkN0jF0j0P9IsfFTcWvXWUXNNf5KLpZIfHoUA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Madison County Schools Alabama","date","2025-07-02T01:29:54.49Z","article","Griffin McCants, director of Equity and Innovation for Madison County Schools, outlined proposed revisions to the district's code of conduct and student handbook during the July 1 special session, saying the changes respond to consultant recommendations and new state requirements.

McCants said several terminology changes were recommended by the district's discipline equity consultant and the LDF/DOJ review, including replacing the word \"criminal\" with \"severe\" throughout the code and replacing the term \"offense\" with \"behavior\" in several provisions. She said the district will add a definition of expulsion to match House Bill 188 and related state language and that written decisions from disciplinary hearings will be delivered to parents within five school days after a hearing, consistent with the cited statute.

On lower-level discipline, McCants proposed adding a reflective essay as a progressive, local-level consequence for younger students or those who cannot complete a written assignment, and said district administrators would track the assignment when used. \"We can definitely track that,\" McCants said when asked about repeat essays.

The presentation proposed consolidating bus-discipline rules into one section and changing the progression of consequences for low-level bus violations so the first and second violations are warnings and conferences, and suspension from the bus would begin at the third violation (up to three days). Under the proposal the progression would escalate to up to five days, 10 days and then longer suspensions for repeated violations; the draft preserves a distinction between low-level bus conduct and higher-level class-one to class-four offenses (for example, fighting or profanity directed at a driver), which would trigger separate disciplinary paths. McCants said the consultant urged the change because principals were sometimes moving directly to multi-day bus suspensions on a first offense, a practice that can effectively keep students out of school if families cannot provide alternate transportation.

On wireless devices, McCants cited the FOCUS Act and summarized its requirements: no student may use or operate a wireless communication device on school grounds during the instructional day unless allowed by exception, and the device must be turned off and stored off the student's person (in a locker, car or similar location). She said the law includes exceptions for an IEP, an individual health plan or for educational purposes or emergencies; the district's proposed code would allow principals flexibility to select appropriate consequences consistent with school culture and the state model policy.

Board members asked for data and uniformity. Several members said they supported protecting bus drivers and ensuring consequences are applied consistently; others asked staff to assemble recent bus-discipline and cell-phone incident data and to confirm that the proposed language will be administrable and consistent across schools that differ in locker availability and school culture. McCants said staff would forward the recommended changes for additional review after incorporating board feedback.

Why it matters: The proposed changes respond to state legislation and equity-review recommendations and would change day-to-day discipline practices (bus access, phone possession and classroom-managed consequences) across the district if adopted. Board members signaled support for the consultant-driven corrections but requested incident data and clarified who will make discretionary choices about property seizure and suspensions.

No final policy vote was recorded during the session; staff indicated they will revise language and return the proposal for additional review and formal action.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","MCSS Board of Education Regular Session July 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Griffin McCants, director of Equity and Innovation for Madison County Schools, outlined proposed revisions to the district's code of conduct and student handbook during the July 1 special session, saying the changes respond to consultant recommendations and new state requirements.","taxTitle","Madison County Schools, School Districts, Alabama","taxId",13590,"location","Alabama","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6181516,"Madison County Schools outlines expansion of career-technical programs, cites space and staffing limits",3225,67915,3293785,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5112879-91f3a6093c28dfafee8f406c528c0efc&start=67&end=3293","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5112879-91f3a6093c28dfafee8f406c528c0efc/thumbnail_67915.jpg","/articles/6181516/Alabama/Madison-County-Schools-outlines-expansion-of-career-technical-programs-cites-space-and-staffing-limits","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6181516-9f000f15e420527779c734ba9a390cef/orig.mp4?Expires=1770542890&Signature=i9-j8tpxoiVtyf5KsFuz1kp16aKz1UlUKCDNYBjMaYgr9gDA4wkzBNhnLQhXPVoY0YPdgRjWYPWxYCMruHlJEoL0LITrwppITJ5jzRtJNMZtNkB4Q7QFkV1deUz9MJYHB3WU2pREsSJn4J-lj6wbbR8d0RfyVHPz2Nob6tGVVVqaAdPXYWqLpBtRh3sANz4rlCALwogMZR5yXKqNVnlVBoQZ7qdGtAINikZCj2eh6BcAw76W6FumVUWm0zCJz1sEJQ2ZaA8ApqT~aDUj8x9Sv2ng9yJBZ1zFAWSa4UgYZw83nEa3pe3FZKm7SmdCMuTkQAbRjZoKwc72N~ncVbMeUQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Mr. Counts, a Madison County Schools staff member who presented the district's career-technical update, told the school board on July 1 that the district has updated program codes, added staff and pursued new industry partnerships while continuing to face space and staffing limits.

Counts said the system updated the academic guide and program declarations to align course codes and offerings with current state and industry standards and that the district added one career coach this year (bringing career-coach allocations to one per high school) and is applying for a further position dedicated to middle schools. \"I think we're about 95% of all ninth graders took the ... assessment this year, which is up about 30% from last year,\" Counts said, referring to the youth-science career assessment the district uses to identify students' aptitudes.

The presenter outlined several new or expanded offerings. At the PureTech/learning center the district added cosmetology, business management, family studies, community services and computer science programs at the virtual academy, and converted an existing family/consumer-science slot at Spartan to a travel-and-tourism program. Counts said the engineering program was restored and currently has 29 students enrolled and a single instructor assigned; he described hiring a biomedical engineer who is transitioning into the classroom position.

Counts described a two-year project called \"Tango Flight,\" in which engineering and aerospace students will assemble a two-seat airplane and gain hands-on experience over the course of the project. He said Airbus and local groups have supported the effort and that local mentors and industry partners are expected to provide technical guidance and potential internship connections.

The update emphasized credentialing and workforce pathways. Counts said the district has expanded opportunities to earn industry credentials (CRIs), including AWS welding inspector certification locally, and is pursuing dual-enrollment and apprenticeship pathways with partners such as Calhoun Community College and Drake State for programs including EMS, fire science, law enforcement, welding, machine tool technology and mechatronics. He described conversations with local employers, including Huntsville Utilities, and noted interest in pre-apprentice and lineman pathways.

Board members pressed on capacity and access. Counts said the welding program has a waiting list of about 35 students and that safety limits currently cap class size at 24. He cited equipment, storage and certified-instructor office-space needs for program certification, and said the district received about $125,000 in state allocation tied to career-coach funding and an additional $215,000 in supplemental operations-and-maintenance (O&M) funds this year plus Perkins grant money to support programs.

Several board members suggested site-by-site analyses and asked for footprint estimates for specific program classrooms. Counts said he would deliver a program-by-program estimate and a proposed timeline for designs and space reallocation by late fall/early winter.

Why it matters: The presentation lays out a plan to expand career pathways tied directly to local industry demand in aerospace, manufacturing and construction, while flagging practical barriers (space, certified instructors, and pay differences for career-coach positions) that could delay implementation.

For now the board received the report and asked staff for follow-up details; Counts did not ask the board to vote on any immediate policy changes or capital projects during the session.","District staff reported growth in career-technical offerings — including a two-year student-built airplane project, new engineering and welding access, expanded certifications and dual-enrollment partnerships — while warning that limited shop and classroom space and pay differences for career coaches constrain expansion.","actionData","errors"]

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Madison County Schools proposes bus-discipline, cell-phone and handbook changes under state guidance

Madison County Schools outlines expansion of career-technical programs, cites space and staffing limits