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Policy committee advances changes to student-suspension rules, narrows appeal language
Summary
The Dorchester 02 policy committee voted to send revisions to the JKD student-suspension policy and its administrative rule to first reading, adding an IDEA legal reference, changing certain 'hearings' to 'reviews' for end-of-term suspensions, and requiring efforts to phone parents on the day of suspension.
The policy committee advanced revisions to the district's student-suspension policy (JKD) and its administrative rule, moving the package forward for first reading at the next board meeting.
Presenter (policy staff) told the committee the revision adds a legal reference to the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and clarifies terminology so that a statutory "hearing" used for expulsions is termed a "review" when applied to suspensions occurring within the last 10 days of school. The presenter said written notice to parents on the date of suspension is required by state statute and explained the district will use a new Simple Discipline System that can email written notices drawn from PowerSchool contact data.
The changes also alter the appeals language. Presenter recommended deleting the bulk of the appeals section so that appeals of suspensions become discretionary and handled at administrative levels (for example, to a superintendent designee) rather than creating a routine path to board hearings. Committee members noted the board has rarely heard suspension appeals and cautioned that opening an automatic board appeal for every suspension could inundate the board.
A public commenter urged stronger protections for parents and students, requesting clearer definitions of what constitutes a "written record," earlier notification when possible, proof-of-delivery options (certified mail or signed hand-delivery), and shortening the parent appeal window from five school days to two. The presenter and other staff responded that written notice on the day of suspension reflects state statutory requirements, that Simple Discipline will generate emails pulled from PowerSchool, and that systems flag undeliverable addresses for school follow-up.
The committee also agreed to change the administrative-rule language requiring "personal contact" to specify a phone call by the principal or designee to the student's parent or legal guardian on the day of suspension.
The meeting record shows the presenter said she would move the revised policy and rule forward to first reading if there were no objections; none were voiced and the items were advanced. The committee did not record a formal roll-call vote in the transcript provided; the outcome is recorded as moved forward for first reading.
Next steps: the draft revisions will be posted in board documents and brought to the full board for first reading.
