Student‑services proposals: homelessness policy alignment and change to long‑term suspension appeal process

Student services staff asked the board to consider two policy updates: (1) bring the district’s homeless student education policy (Policy 41.25) into closer alignment with the updated state policy and (2) revise the district’s long‑term suspension/expulsion process (Policy 4353) to replace ad hoc tribunals with a standing appeal committee to improve consistency in hearings.

Staff said Policy 41.25 contains minor language updates (for example, replacing “vocational and technical education” with “career and technical education” and updating gifted program terminology) and large redline changes because the state policy has been amended multiple times since the district last updated its version. For Policy 4353, staff described an operational issue: the current practice of convening school administrators for hearing panels has led to inconsistency over time. To address that, staff recommended that appeals be heard by a standing committee composed of the director of student services and the chief officer of student services (district level personnel) and asked the board to place the suspension policy on first read at the next regular meeting.

Ending: staff asked that these two policies be placed on the district’s first‑read/consent cycle so they can be aligned with state policy and so the district can implement a more consistent appeals process. The board did not adopt either policy at the Committee meeting; staff recommended the suspension policy be brought forward on first read at the next regular meeting.