HF 2050 (LSB 5107YH (1) 91)

HOUSE FILE 2050

BY  COLLINS

A BILL FOR

An Act relating to the discipline of students who disrupt the educational process, and including effective date provisions.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF IOWA:

    Section 1.  NEW SECTION.  279.65B  Discipline of students who interfere with an orderly education process.
   1.  The board of directors of each school district shall adopt policies that describe how the school district and school district employees may discipline a student who interferes with or prevents the orderly education process, or who otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook. The policies must do all of the following:
   a.  Authorize a teacher to take disciplinary action to correct a student’s behavior when the student interferes with the orderly education process or otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook. 
   b.  (1)  Provide that when a student’s behavior prevents the orderly instruction of other students, poses an immediate threat to the safety or physical well-being of any student or teacher, or when a student otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook, the student’s teacher may immediately remove the student from the classroom and place the student with the principal or the principal’s designee.
   (2)  (a)  Provide that after a student’s third removal from the classroom pursuant to subparagraph (1), the student’s teacher and the principal shall discuss the student’s disruptive behavior patterns and potential disciplinary actions the school district may take prior to the teacher or principal implementing any new disciplinary action against the student.
   (b)  Provide that after a student’s third removal from the classroom, the student shall not be permitted to return to the classroom until after the student’s teacher, or another school district employee designated by the principal, and either the student’s parent or guardian, if the student is not an emancipated minor, or the student, if the student is an emancipated minor, participate in a conference that is designed to identify the reasons for the student’s behavior and the disciplinary actions the school district may take that are best suited to improve the student’s behavior. The participants may participate in the conference in person or by electronic means. The school district shall give written notice to the student’s parent or guardian or to the student, as applicable, prior to such conference that includes information related to the student’s behavior.
   2.  A principal or administrator shall not do any of the following:
   a.  Prohibit or discourage a teacher from taking disciplinary action in accordance with the policies adopted pursuant to subsection 1, recommending disciplinary action in accordance with the policies adopted pursuant to subsection 1, or completing a document to initiate disciplinary action in accordance with the policies adopted pursuant to subsection 1 against a student who interferes with the orderly education process or who otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook.
   b.  Retaliate or take any adverse employment action against a teacher for taking disciplinary action in accordance with the policies adopted pursuant to subsection 1 against a student who interferes with the orderly education process or who otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook.
   3.  A school district shall not do any of the following:
   a.  Adopt policies that prohibit a teacher from exercising the teacher’s rights established pursuant to subsection 1.
   b.  Retaliate or take any adverse employment action against a teacher for exercising the teacher’s rights established pursuant to subsection 1.
   4.  This section shall not be construed to authorize a teacher to violate the provisions of any policy adopted by the board of directors of the school district pursuant to subsection 1.
    Sec. 2.  EFFECTIVE DATE.  This Act takes effect December 31, 2026.
EXPLANATION
The inclusion of this explanation does not constitute agreement with

the explanation’s substance by the members of the general assembly.
   This bill relates to the discipline of students who disrupt the educational process.
   The bill establishes that such policies must authorize a teacher to take disciplinary action to correct a student’s behavior when the student interferes with the orderly education process or otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook.
   The bill establishes that such policies must provide that when a student’s behavior prevents the orderly instruction of other students, poses an immediate threat to the safety or physical well-being of any student or teacher, or when a student otherwise violates the school district’s student handbook, the student’s teacher may immediately remove the student from the classroom and place the student with the principal or the principal’s designee. The bill provides that, after a student’s third removal from the classroom, the student’s teacher and the principal shall discuss the student’s disruptive behavior patterns and the potential disciplinary actions the school district may take prior to the teacher or principal implementing any new disciplinary action against the student. Additionally, the bill provides that such student shall not be permitted to return to the classroom until after a conference that is designed to identify the reasons for the student’s behavior, and the disciplinary actions the school district may take that are best suited to improve the student’s behavior, takes place.
   The bill restricts actions a principal, administrator, or school district may take with respect to teachers taking action under the bill or exercising the teacher’s rights established by the bill.
   The bill takes effect December 31, 2026.