0944: COMMITTEE SUMMARY - DELEGATION OF DISCIPLINARY DUTIES

DELEGATION OF DISCIPLINARY DUTIES - S.B. 944 (S-1): COMMITTEE SUMMARY

Senate Bill 944 (Substitute S-1)

Sponsor: Senator Leon Stille

Date Completed: 5-9-00

CONTENT

The bill would amend the Revised School Code to require a school board or a designee of a school board to suspend or expel from the school district a pupil who committed a physical assault at school.

Under the Code, if a pupil enrolled in grade six or above commits a physical assault at school against another pupil and the assault is reported to the school board, school district superintendent, or building principal, the school board is required to expel the pupil from the school district for up to 180 days. Under the bill, the board would be required either to suspend or to expel the pupil for up to 180 days. In addition, the designee of the school board, as described in the Code, could suspend or expel the pupil on behalf of the school board.

(The Code permits a school board, or the school district superintendent, a school building principal, or another school district official if designated by the school board, to authorize or order the suspension or expulsion from school of a pupil guilty of gross misdemeanor or persistent disobedience if, in the judgment of the school board or its designee, the interest of the school is served by the authorization or order (MCL 380.1311).)

MCL 380.1310 - Legislative Analyst: L. Arasim

FISCAL IMPACT

If districts chose to suspend and subsequently re-enroll pupils committing assaults against students prior to State aid pupil counts (rather than expelling the pupils as currently mandated), then State aid payments to such districts for these pupils would be higher than under current law. This would occur because the suspended/re-enrolled students would be back in school and counted in pupil counts for State aid, rather than being permanently expelled.

- Fiscal Analyst: K. Summers-CotyS9900\s944sa

This analysis was prepared by nonpartisan Senate staff for use by the Senate in its deliberations and does not constitute an official statement of legislative intent.