Laws regarding school discipline and punishment vary from state to state; from school district to school district; and between public schools, private schools, and charter schools. School discipline and punishment laws are generally located in a state’s statutes (often in the Education Code) and further defined in a specific school’s policies and procedures. Federal laws may also apply in particular school discipline contexts. And state and federal criminal laws may apply to certain student conduct that occurs on school property or at school-sponsored events.

Exclusionary discipline is any type of school discipline that removes or excludes a student from their usual educational setting. Two of the most common exclusionary discipline actions are suspension and expulsion.

Corporal punishment is the use of physical force—usually paddling or spanking—to punish a student for misbehavior. Corporal punishment against students is legal in approximately 19 states but is controversial and the subject of proposed state and federal legislation to limit or prohibit its use.

In Nevada, school discipline and punishment are governed by state statutes, particularly within the Nevada Revised Statutes (NRS) under the Education Code, and by policies set by individual school districts. Nevada law allows for exclusionary discipline measures such as suspension and expulsion, which are typically outlined in the NRS and further detailed in the administrative regulations and school district policies. These measures are used to address violations of school rules or conduct that significantly disrupts the educational environment. Federal laws, such as the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), also impact school discipline by providing specific protections and procedures for disciplining students with disabilities. Regarding corporal punishment, Nevada law prohibits the use of physical force as a disciplinary measure in public schools. This prohibition is established in NRS 392.463, which explicitly bans corporal punishment in any form within the public school system. Private and charter schools in Nevada may have their own policies regarding discipline and punishment, but they must also comply with relevant state and federal laws.