Date: 07/11/2019 Student Names: Amber Fuller and Others

Project: Basic Education Circulars

1. What is the BEC Topic?

Disciplinary Exclusions of Students who are Eligible for Special Education

2. When was the BEC issued and reviewed?

Date Issued: July 1, 1999, Date Reviewed: Nov. 1, 2012

3. What laws are referenced in the BEC?

Chapter 12 and public school code of 1949, Chapter 14, Chapter 711 and IDEA 2004

4. Provide a summary of the legal interpretation?

Manifestation Determinations are necessary when a disciplinary action of a student with a

disability occurs that includes any sort of change of placement, including expulsion or
suspension. A 45-school-day interim alternative educational setting may be allowed without a
Manifestation Determination if the disciplined incident involves a weapon, drugs, controlled
substances, or inflicted harm on another. Manifestation Determinations must be conducted
within 10 school days of any change of placement decisions. If a student has intellectual
disabilities no discipline action may include expulsion or suspension. If a regular education
student is facing any similar disciplinary actions as mentioned then said student “may assert the
protections of IDEA 2004 if the LEA had “knowledge” that the student was an eligible student
before the occurrence of the behavior that precipitated a disciplinary action.”

From the text: “The LEA must first conduct and document a manifestation determination for a
disciplinary change in educational placement. An eligible student may be removed to a 45-school-day
interim alternative educational setting without the required manifestation determination if the student:
1) Carries a weapon or possesses a weapon at school, on school premises, or at a school function; 2)
Knowingly possesses or uses illegal drugs, or sells or solicits the sale of a controlled substance, while
at school, on school premises, or at a school function; or 3) Inflicts serious bodily injury upon another
person while at school, on school premises, or at a school function. 34 C.F.R. § 300.530(g). Federal
regulation requires that a manifestation determination be conducted within 10 school days of any
decision to change the educational placement of a student with a disability because of a violation of a
code of student conduct.

Summary of Decision Points

The decision points a LEA should consider before implementing any disciplinary exclusion are as
follows:
1. If the student is not eligible for special education services and the LEA does not have knowledge
under 34 C.F.R. § 300.534, then the LEA must apply Chapter 12 and the Pennsylvania School Code.
2. If the student is eligible for special education services, then the LEA must decide if the proposed
disciplinary exclusion is a change in educational placement.
3. If parents request a due process hearing and thereby invoke pendency, then the LEA can assess
whether any of the exceptions discussed in this BEC apply and take the proper steps.

Exception 1. Immediate or severe discipline problems with students with intellectual disabilities,
Exception 2. Students eligible for special education who carry a weapon to school, Exception 3. Students
eligible for special education who knowingly possess or use illegal drugs, or sell or solicit the sale of a
controlled substance while at school or a school function under the jurisdiction of an LEA, Exception 4.
Students eligible for special education who inflict serious bodily injury upon another person while at
school, on school premises, or at a school function under the jurisdiction of an LEA, Exception 5.
Determination by a hearing officer that maintaining the current placement is substantially likely to result
in injury to the student or others, Exception 6. Judicial intervention. Each exception has its own
stipulations that apply.

34 C.F.R. § 300.534, provides that a student who has not been determined to be eligible for
special education may assert the protections of IDEA 2004 if the LEA had “knowledge” that the
student was an eligible student before the occurrence of the behavior that precipitated a
disciplinary action. A LEA has knowledge if: 1) The parent of the student expressed a concern in
writing (unless the parent is illiterate or has a disability that prevents compliance with the
requirements contained in this clause) to the LEA that the student is in need of special
education and related services; 2) The parent of the student has requested an evaluation of the
student; or 3) The teacher of the student, or other personnel of the LEA, expressed a specific
concern about the behavior or performance of the student to the director of special education of
the LEA or to other supervisory personnel of the LEA.”

5. What implications does this BEC have for school systems in Pennsylvania?

LEAs must maintain the provision of FAPE to a student eligible for special education, whether
they have an IEP implemented or not, during all disciplinary exclusions, including those
involving 10 consecutive school days or for more than 15 cumulative school days in a school
year.

“34 C.F.R. § 300.536 defines a change of placement for disciplinary removals as either a removal for
more than 10 consecutive school days or a series of removals that cumulate to more than 10 school days
in a school year. In addition, consideration of factors such as the length of each removal, the total
amount of time that the student is removed and the proximity of the removals to one another, may lead to
the conclusion that the student has been excluded from the current placement to such an extent that there
has been a change in educational placement. In other words, federal regulations do not necessarily
consider a disciplinary exclusion of more than 10 cumulative days to constitute a change in educational
placement. However, in Pennsylvania the 15 day rule protects special education students from
disciplinary exclusions totaling more than 15 days in any school year. 22 Pa. Code §§ 14.143(a) and
711.61(e).”