15-153. Crime reporting; policies and procedures; notification; discipline

A. Each school district governing board and charter school governing body shall prescribe and enforce policies and procedures for school personnel to report any suspected crime against a person or property that is a serious offense as defined in section 13-706 or that involves a deadly weapon or dangerous instrument or serious physical injury and any conduct that poses a threat of death or serious physical injury to an employee, student or other person on the school property. The policies shall dictate a process for employees to document and report the conduct, including specifying the employees responsible for making a report to the local law enforcement agency pursuant to section 15-341, subsection A, paragraph 30. Conduct that is considered to be bullying, harassment or intimidation shall be addressed according to policies adopted pursuant to section 15-341, subsection A, paragraph 36.

B. Each school district governing board and charter school governing body shall prescribe and enforce policies and procedures that require the school district or charter school to notify the parent or guardian of each student who is involved in a suspected crime or any conduct that is described in subsection A of this section, subject to the requirements of federal law.

C. On or before January 1, 2020, each school district or charter school shall post the policies and procedures prescribed by this section on its website. If the school district or charter school maintains an online manual of policies and procedures, the school district or charter school may post a link to that manual with a reference to the appropriate policies and procedures.

D. A person who violates subsection A of this section may be disciplined for violating the policies of the school district governing board or charter school governing body pursuant to section 15-341, subsection A, paragraphs 21 and 22, and, notwithstanding section 15-341, subsection A, paragraphs 21 and 22, may be subject to dismissal. Each school district governing board and charter school governing body shall prescribe and enforce policies and procedures that require the school district or charter school to maintain a record on any person who is disciplined pursuant to this subsection and, on request, shall make that record available to any public school, school district governing board or charter school governing body that is considering hiring that person.

E. By July 1, 2020, the department of education shall develop a process to verify that each school district and charter school has adopted the policies and procedures required by this section.

F. Beginning January 21, 2020, a school district or charter school that has not adopted the policies and procedures required by this section is not eligible to apply for school safety program grants pursuant to section 15-154.