March 17, 2015, Introduced by Senator HILDENBRAND and referred to the Committee on Education.
A bill to amend 1976 PA 451, entitled
"The revised school code,"
by amending section 1311a (MCL 380.1311a), as amended by 2007 PA
138.
THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF MICHIGAN ENACT:
Sec. 1311a. (1) If a pupil enrolled in grade 6 or above
commits
a physical assault at school against a person an individual
employed by or engaged as a volunteer or contractor by the school
board
district or makes a threat at
school to kill an individual
employed by or engaged as a volunteer or contractor by the school
district and the physical assault or threat to kill is reported to
the school board, school district superintendent, or building
principal by the victim or, if the victim is unable to report the
assault or threat to kill, by another person on the victim's
behalf, then the school board, or the designee of the school board
as described in section 1311(1) on behalf of the school board,
shall expel the pupil from the school district permanently, subject
to possible reinstatement under subsection (5). A district
superintendent or building principal who receives a report
described in this subsection shall forward the report to the school
board.
(2) If a pupil enrolled in grade 6 or above commits a verbal
assault other than a threat to kill, as defined by school board
policy,
at school against a person an
individual employed by or
engaged
as a volunteer or contractor by the school board district
and the verbal assault is reported to the school board, school
district superintendent, or building principal by the victim or, if
the victim is unable to report the verbal assault, by another
person on the victim's behalf, or if a pupil enrolled in grade 6 or
above makes a bomb threat or similar threat directed at a school
building, other school property, or a school-related event, then
the school board, or the designee of the school board as described
in section 1311(1) on behalf of the school board, shall suspend or
expel the pupil from the school district for a period of time as
determined in the discretion of the school board or its designee. A
district superintendent or building principal who receives a report
described in this subsection shall forward the report to the school
board. Notwithstanding section 1147, a school district is not
required to allow an individual expelled from another school
district under this subsection to attend school in the school
district during the expulsion.
(3) If an individual is permanently expelled pursuant to this
section, the expelling school district shall enter on the
individual's permanent record that he or she has been permanently
expelled pursuant to this section. Except if a school district
operates or participates cooperatively in an alternative education
program appropriate for individuals expelled pursuant to this
section and section 1311(2) and in its discretion admits the
individual to that program, and except for a strict discipline
academy
established under sections 1311b to 1311l, 1311m,
an
individual permanently expelled pursuant to this section is
expelled from all public schools in this state and the officials of
a school district shall not allow the individual to enroll in the
school district unless the individual has been reinstated under
subsection (5). Except as otherwise provided by law, a program
operated for individuals expelled pursuant to this section and
section 1311(2) shall ensure that those individuals are physically
separated at all times during the school day from the general pupil
population. If an individual permanently expelled from a school
district pursuant to this section is not placed in an alternative
education program or strict discipline academy, the school district
may provide, or may arrange for the intermediate school district to
provide, appropriate instructional services to the individual at
home. The type of services provided shall meet the requirements of
section 6(4)(u) of the state school aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1606,
and the services may be contracted for in the same manner as
services for homebound pupils under section 109 of the state school
aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1709. This subsection does not require a
school district to expend more money for providing services for a
pupil permanently expelled pursuant to this section than the amount
of the foundation allowance or per-pupil payment the school
district receives for the pupil as calculated under section 20 of
the state school aid act of 1979, MCL 388.1620.
(4) If a school board permanently expels an individual
pursuant to this section, the school board shall ensure that,
within 3 days after the expulsion, an official of the school
district refers the individual to the appropriate county department
of social services or county community mental health agency and
notifies the individual's parent or legal guardian or, if the
individual is at least age 18 or is an emancipated minor, notifies
the individual of the referral.
(5) The parent or legal guardian of an individual permanently
expelled pursuant to this section or, if the individual is at least
age 18 or is an emancipated minor, the individual may petition the
expelling school board for reinstatement of the individual to
public education in the school district. If the expelling school
board denies a petition for reinstatement, the parent or legal
guardian or, if the individual is at least age 18 or is an
emancipated minor, the individual may petition another school board
for reinstatement of the individual in that other school district.
All of the following apply to reinstatement under this subsection:
(a) The individual's parent or legal guardian or, if the
individual is at least age 18 or is an emancipated minor, the
individual may initiate a petition for reinstatement at any time
after the expiration of 150 school days after the date of
expulsion.
(b) The individual shall not be reinstated before the
expiration of 180 school days after the date of expulsion.
(c) It is the responsibility of the parent or legal guardian
or, if the individual is at least age 18 or is an emancipated
minor, of the individual to prepare and submit the petition. A
school board is not required to provide any assistance in preparing
the petition. Upon request by a parent or legal guardian or, if the
individual is at least age 18 or is an emancipated minor, by the
individual, a school board shall make available a form for a
petition.
(d) Not later than 10 school days after receiving a petition
for reinstatement under this subsection, a school board shall
appoint a committee to review the petition and any supporting
information submitted by the parent or legal guardian or, if the
individual is at least age 18 or is an emancipated minor, by the
individual. The committee shall consist of 2 school board members,
1 school administrator, 1 teacher, and 1 parent of a pupil in the
school district. During this time the superintendent of the school
district may prepare and submit for consideration by the committee
information concerning the circumstances of the expulsion and any
factors mitigating for or against reinstatement.
(e) Not later than 10 school days after all members are
appointed, the committee described in subdivision (d) shall review
the petition and any supporting information and information
provided by the school district and shall submit a recommendation
to the school board on the issue of reinstatement. The
recommendation shall be for unconditional reinstatement, for
conditional reinstatement, or against reinstatement, and shall be
accompanied by an explanation of the reasons for the recommendation
and of any recommended conditions for reinstatement. The
recommendation shall be based on consideration of all of the
following factors:
(i) The extent to which reinstatement of the individual would
create a risk of harm to pupils or school personnel.
(ii) The extent to which reinstatement of the individual would
create a risk of school district or individual liability for the
school board or school district personnel.
(iii) The age and maturity of the individual.
(iv) The individual's school record before the incident that
caused the expulsion.
(v) The individual's attitude concerning the incident that
caused the expulsion.
(vi) The individual's behavior since the expulsion and the
prospects for remediation of the individual.
(vii) If the petition was filed by a parent or legal guardian,
the degree of cooperation and support that has been provided by the
parent or legal guardian and that can be expected if the individual
is reinstated, including, but not limited to, receptiveness toward
possible conditions placed on the reinstatement.
(f) Not later than the next regularly scheduled board meeting
after receiving the recommendation of the committee under
subdivision (e), a school board shall make a decision to
unconditionally reinstate the individual, conditionally reinstate
the individual, or deny reinstatement of the individual. The
decision of the school board is final.
(g) A school board may require an individual and, if the
petition was filed by a parent or legal guardian, his or her parent
or legal guardian to agree in writing to specific conditions before
reinstating the individual in a conditional reinstatement. The
conditions may include, but are not limited to, agreement to a
behavior contract, which may involve the individual, parent or
legal guardian, and an outside agency; participation in or
completion of an anger management program or other appropriate
counseling; periodic progress reviews; and specified immediate
consequences for failure to abide by a condition. A parent or legal
guardian or, if the individual is at least age 18 or is an
emancipated minor, the individual may include proposed conditions
in a petition for reinstatement submitted under this subsection.
(6) A school board or school administrator that complies with
this section is not liable for damages for suspending or expelling
a pupil pursuant to this section, and the authorizing body of a
public school academy is not liable for damages for suspension or
expulsion of a pupil by the public school academy pursuant to this
section.
(7) The department shall develop and distribute to all school
districts a form for a petition for reinstatement to be used under
subsection (5). The department may designate the form used for a
petition for reinstatement under section 1311 as a form that may be
used under this section.
(8) This section does not diminish any rights under federal
law of a pupil who has been determined to be eligible for special
education programs and services.
(9) If a pupil expelled from a school district pursuant to
this section is enrolled by a public school district sponsored
alternative education program or a public school academy during the
period of expulsion, the public school academy or the alternative
education program is immediately eligible for the prorated share of
either the public school academy's or operating school district's
foundation allowance or the expelling school district's foundation
allowance, whichever is higher.
(10) A school board or its designee shall report all assaults
and threats described in subsection (1) or (2) to appropriate state
or local law enforcement officials and prosecutors as provided in
the statewide school safety information policy under section 1308.
(11) If an individual is expelled pursuant to this section, it
is the responsibility of that individual and of his or her parent
or legal guardian to locate a suitable educational program and to
enroll the individual in such a program during the expulsion. The
office for safe schools in the department shall compile information
on and catalog existing alternative education programs or schools
and nonpublic schools that may be open to enrollment of individuals
expelled pursuant to this section and pursuant to section 1311(2),
and shall periodically distribute this information to school
districts for distribution to expelled individuals. A school board
that establishes an alternative education program or school
described
in this subsection shall notify the office of for safe
schools about the program or school and the types of pupils it
serves. The office for safe schools also shall work with and
provide technical assistance to school districts, authorizing
bodies for public school academies, and other interested parties in
developing these types of alternative education programs or schools
in geographic areas that are not being served.
(12) As used in this section:
(a) "At school" means in a classroom, elsewhere on school
premises, on a school bus or other school-related vehicle, or at a
school-sponsored activity or event whether or not it is held on
school premises.
(b) "Physical assault" means intentionally causing or
attempting to cause physical harm to another through force or
violence.
(c) "School board" means a school board, intermediate school
board, or the board of directors of a public school academy.
(d)
"School district" means a school district, a local act
school
district, an intermediate school
district, or a public
school academy.