This paper presents an outline and analysis of federal legislation and court decisions relevant to the exclusion of students with disabilities by school systems through the filing of delinquency and other petitions based upon in-school behavior. In many cases the behavior is related to the disability and/or to the consequences of the school…

This collection of issue papers addresses the inclusion of students with disabilities who are labeled disruptive in general education classrooms. The publication begins by summarizing new provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Amendments of 1997. The provisions make it clearer that students with disabilities must be…

The law has developed extensive rights and procedural safeguards that allow for the removal of overly disruptive and dangerous students while also protecting students from arbitrary and wrongful disciplinary action. This report describes New Jersey legislation intended to support fairness in discipline. Part 1 examines: sources of authority for…

Much of this brief comes from the ERIC Digest on Zero Tolerance Policies (ERIC #: ED451579). State legislatures and school boards are adopting a growing number of zero-tolerance polices toward weapons, guns, and violence. Zero-tolerance polices are rules intended to address specific school-safety issues. Despite the controversies that it has…

Reviews trends in numbers of students excluded from school in England because of behavior problems, illustrating that permanent exclusions are rising. Proposes that causes for exclusion are psychosocial problems, family and social problems, stretched educational resources, and a cultural response to alienated and alienating behavior. Suggests…

Using accelerating exclusion rates from one British local education authority shows that some children--particularly certain adolescents--are becoming scapegoats of systemic failure. By being excluded, these children are deprived of their rights to education and proper attention to their emotional and behavioral needs. Responsible parties must…

The Committee on Referral and Evaluation (CORE) was the second phase of a two-phased practicum designed to improve the behavior of students identified as hard-core discipline problems. The first phase was a computer discipline record-keeping system used to identify problem students. The CORE Program combined school, community, and state agencies…

The Substance Use Prevention Education and Resources (SUPER I) program of the Austin Independent School District (Texas) is a school-based middle- and high-school curriculum that is offered as a positive alternative to long-term removals to students who have committed alcohol or drug-related offenses for the first time (excluding the sale or…

When a child with a disability behaves in a manner which threatens the safety of other children and staff in the school, school authorities are faced with a dilemma. The balance between the competing interests of individuals and the school community is never more clearly seen than in such a situation. The child has a right to participate equally…

A Florida State Department of Education technical assistance paper on expulsion of handicapped students is presented. Contents are as follows: historical information on court decisions, issues questions and answers, brief summaries of seven court cases dealing with expulsion of handicapped students, and sample materials from three local school…

This report discusses disciplining children with disabilities in schools, in the context of the legal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. Practical concepts are explained in terms of the school's responsibility to: (1) maintain a safe environment; (2) teach a code of discipline to all students; (3) use the…

Society should be particularly concerned about the long-term consequences of excluding (suspending or expelling) primary age children from school for behavior problems. Competition between schools has left behind less-marketable children who can contribute little to a school's performance indicators. Concomitant cutbacks in school and social…

This report describes a research effort to analyze extant information from state and local education agencies on the incidence and consequences of children with disabilities who bring weapons to school, engage in life-threatening behavior, or commit other acts of serious misconduct. Specific research activities included a review of existing…

This document is the report of a policy forum on interim alternative educational settings for students with disabilities involved in disciplinary actions. The report summarizes outcomes of discussions on the following topics: (1) purpose and goals of the interim alternative educational setting; (2) components of interim alternative educational…

This document, presented in question and answer format, provides guidance about legal requirements of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) concerning the misconduct of students with disabilities and corrects the misunderstanding that students with disabilities are exempt from discipline under current law. It discusses recent…