Policy workshop: district adds progressive discipline, bus rules and new student protections to code of conduct

At its June 15 policy workshop, the district presented substantial proposed edits to the code of conduct and two accompanying infraction guideline documents (K–5 and 6–12). The draft incorporates a new progressive‑discipline paragraph, new student rights, clarified attendance procedures, school bus conduct rules, and updated infraction levels and remedies.

Key additions: presenters said the code will explicitly recognize rights for pregnant, parenting and lactating students (reasonable accommodations, excused time for pregnancy‑related absences and access to the district teen‑parenting program) and for students experiencing homelessness, foster care or educational instability (immediate enrollment and supports consistent with the Every Student Succeeds Act). Attendance changes include written notices after the first and second unexcused absence and a declaration that a student with six or more unexcused absences may be considered habitually truant; the presenters noted state law changes that restrict transfers to cyber charter schools for habitually truant students unless a court orders otherwise.

The draft adds a school bus conduct section stating buses are an extension of school and listing infractions and graduated responses for K–5 and 6–12 riders (from driver warning and assigned seating to suspension of transportation or law‑enforcement referral for severe violations). Progressive discipline language outlines a menu of interventions — verbal redirection, restorative practices, counseling, parent notification, IEP/504 inclusion where applicable, reflection rooms or in‑school suspension as alternatives to out‑of‑school suspension — with consequences tied to severity, frequency, age and prior history.

Administrators said restorative practices, reintegration meetings and reflection rooms are intended to preserve instructional time and to focus on repairing harm rather than only punishment. Board members asked for clearer definitions and implementation guidance (for example, what restorative lunch/reflection looks like in practice, whether reflection rooms exist in all schools, how discipline records carry across years, and how to avoid disproportionate impacts on Black, brown and low‑income students). Dr. Golden and administration said equity and training work is ongoing and that implementation will be monitored; the infraction drafts will be posted for 30 days for public comment and then returned to the board in July.

One safety‑focused change: the infraction documents add a definition of "3D‑printed weapons" — described as solid 3D objects made or used to mimic or function as weapons — after administrators cited a recent school incident involving a 3D‑printed object that could have caused harm.

No vote occurred at the workshop; the committee directed administration to post the redlines and supporting guidance for public review ahead of July consideration.