§416.8. Discipline policy review committees; school option

A.(1)(a) Each city and parish school board shall establish a discipline policy review committee composed of sixteen members as follows:

(i) Five classroom teachers to be elected by their peers with at least one teacher each representing an elementary, middle or junior high, and high school.

(ii) One special education teacher to be elected by his peers.

(iii) Two guidance counselors to be elected by their peers.

(iv) Two principals to be elected by their peers, one representing an elementary school and one representing a high school.

(v) One school bus operator to be elected by his peers.

(vi) One child welfare and attendance supervisor to be elected by his peers.

(vii) One school board member to be elected by his peers.

(viii) The local superintendent or his designee.

(ix) Two parents to be appointed by a method as provided by rules and regulations adopted by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education.

(b) The discipline policy review committee shall review all school board discipline policies and make recommendations to the school board for appropriate revisions to such policies.

(c) Each committee shall be established no later than November 1, 1994, and shall make its recommendations to its respective school board no later than February 1, 1995.

(2) Each school board shall review its discipline policies prior to the end of the 1994-1995 school year and shall review such policies at least annually thereafter. Following a public hearing on the recommendations of the discipline policy review committee, each school board's discipline policies shall delineate the specific consistent actions to be taken by teachers and other designated school employees to maintain order in the schools and on the school grounds. In addition, such policies shall contain specific consistent penalties which shall be imposed when pupils violate school discipline policies or state laws on school discipline. Copies of school board discipline policies shall be distributed to each school within its jurisdiction prior to the beginning of the 1995-1996 school session. In addition, copies of current school board discipline policies shall be distributed to each school within its jurisdiction prior to the beginning of the 1999-2000 school year and each school year thereafter. Each board shall provide each pupil and his parent, tutor, or legal guardian with a copy of the board's current discipline policy. In addition, each school shall plan and conduct meetings necessary to fully inform all employees and pupils of all such policies within the first week of each school year. Meetings also shall be held throughout the school year as may be necessary to inform new employees and new pupils of such policies.

B. Except as may be provided otherwise for the development or review of a school's discipline policy under the terms of a collective bargaining agreement applicable to the public school, the administrators, teachers, and parents at each public school shall meet during the 1995-1996 school year and develop or review the discipline policy for their school and such policy shall be reviewed at least annually thereafter. In all cases, a school's discipline policy shall be in compliance with current state law and school board policies.

C. However, if, on August 27, 1994, there is in existence a discipline policy review committee which serves the same function for any city or parish school board or for any public school in the state, such existing committee shall remain in existence and shall retain the composition and authority under which it was created.

Acts 1994, 3rd Ex. Sess., No. 45, §2; Acts 1999, No. 1086, §1, eff. July 9, 1999.