DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT : Exceptional Student Services - Discipline Data Collection Application - New Action Taken Options

DATA MANAGEMENT ALERT       

Exceptional Student Services (ESS) Discipline Data Collection (DDC) Application - New Action Taken Options

Effective May 3, 2023, new actions will be available in the Action Taken dropdown box and XML Schema. The following actions have been added:

• Reassignment to Alternate Education Program In-School
• Reassignment to Alternate Education Program Out-of-School
• Reassignment to Alternate Suspension Program Out-of-School
• Reassignment to Alternative Suspension Program In-School

Per Arizona State law, these actions must be taken in specific circumstances. If any student has been placed in an alternative education program per A.R.S. § 15-841(H) (I). These actions apply to school districts and charter school districts only. Please update the action taken for any student in this category.

As a reminder, all SPED discipline data must be completed by July 15, 2023.

Per A.R.S. § 15-841:

H. A school district or charter school shall expel from school for at least one year a pupil who is determined to have threatened an educational institution, except that the school district or charter school may modify this expulsion requirement for a pupil on a case-by-case basis if the pupil participates in mediation, community service, restitution or other programs in which the pupil takes responsibility for the results of the threat. This subsection shall be construed consistently with the requirements of the individuals with disabilities education act (20 United States Code sections 1400 through 1420). A school district may reassign a pupil who is subject to expulsion pursuant to this subsection to an alternative education program pursuant to subsection E of this section if the pupil participates in mediation, community service, restitution or other programs in which the pupil takes responsibility for the threat.  A school district or charter school may require the pupil's parent or guardian to participate in mediation, community service, restitution or other programs in which the parent or guardian takes responsibility with the pupil for the threat. For the purposes of this subsection, "threatened an educational institution" means to interfere with or disrupt an educational institution as defined in section 13-2911 by doing any of the following:

1. For the purpose of causing, or in reckless disregard of causing, interference with or disruption of an educational institution, threatening to cause physical injury to any employee of an educational institution or any person attending an educational institution.

2. For the purpose of causing, or in reckless disregard of causing, interference with or disruption of an educational institution, threatening to cause damage to any educational institution, the property of any educational institution, the property of any employee of an educational institution or the property of any person attending an educational institution.

3. Going on or remaining on the property of any educational institution for the purpose of interfering with or disrupting the lawful use of the property or in any manner as to deny or interfere with the lawful use of the property by others.

4. Refusing to obey a lawful order to leave the property of an educational institution.

I. Each school district shall establish an alternative to suspension program in consultation with local law enforcement officials or school resource officers. The school district governing board shall adopt policies to determine the requirements for participation in the alternative to suspension program. Pupils who would otherwise be subject to suspension pursuant to this article and who meet the school district's requirements for participation in the alternative to suspension program shall be transferred to a location on school premises that is isolated from other pupils or transferred to a location that is not on school premises. The alternative to suspension program shall be discipline intensive and require academic work, and may require community service, groundskeeping and litter control, parent supervision, and evaluation or other appropriate activities. The community service, groundskeeping and litter control, and other appropriate activities may be performed on school grounds or at any other designated area.

If you have any questions or concerns, don't hesitate to get in touch with us at [email protected].