DEPARTMENT
OF EDUCATION
P.O.
SUPTS. MEMO NO. 201
INFORMATIONAL
|
TO: |
Division Superintendents |
|
FROM: |
Jo Lynne DeMary Superintendent of Public Instruction |
|
SUBJECT: |
Revision -- Student
Conduct Policy Guidelines |
The Board of Education’s Student Conduct Policy Guidelines were first developed in 1994 in
response to action by the 1993 General Assembly that required the board to
establish such guidelines, as reflected in the Code of Virginia Section
22.1-279.6 of the Code. The guidelines were revised in 2001 and again in 2004
to reflect numerous changes in federal and state laws, regulations, and
relevant case law. The guidelines are intended to aid school boards in
developing and implementing student conduct standards and policies. Local school boards are required (Sections
22.1-253.13:7(3) and 22.1-279.4(B)), to adopt and revise regulations for codes
of student conduct that are consistent with, but may be more stringent than,
these guidelines.
The 2005 General Assembly adopted HB 1573 (Albo),
HB 2266 (Marshall), HB 2879 (Marshall), and HB 1716 (Fralin)) that amended
Sections 22.1-279.6, 22.21-208.01, and 22.1-279.3:1 of the Code of Virginia to
add requirements that gang-related activity and bullying be added to the topics
addressed by the guidelines; the requirement that school division character
education programs include the inappropriateness of bullying; and the addition
of stalking to the list of offenses required to be reported to division
superintendents and the principals to law enforcement officers and subsequently
reported in the annual reports made to the Department of Education. Additionally there are requirements
concerning accuracy in reporting of incidents by school
personnel, and requirements that school division personnel report certain
incidents to parents and notify them when they occur.
In response to the legislation, The Virginia Student Conduct Policy Guidelines have
been revised and were adopted by the Board of Education on September 21, 2005.
The guidelines may be downloaded from the Department of Education's Web site: www.pen.k12.va.us/VDOE/Instruction/Sped/stu_conduct.pdf.
Questions may be directed to Arlene Cundiff, coordinator of the safe and drug-free schools
program at 804-225-2871, Arlene.Cundiff@doe.Virginia.gov
or to
JLD/ADC/erc