California School Discipline Laws & Regulations: Due Process

Discipline Compendium

California School Discipline Laws & Regulations: Due Process

Category: Exclusionary Discipline: Suspension, Expulsion, and Alternative Placement
Subcategory: Due Process
State: California

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LAWS

EDC 35146.

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 35145 of this code and Section 54950 of the Government Code, the governing body of a school district shall, unless a request by the parent has been made pursuant to this section, hold closed sessions if the board is considering the suspension of, or disciplinary action or any other action except expulsion in connection with any pupil of the school district, if a public hearing upon such question would lead to the giving out of information concerning school pupils which would be in violation of Article 5 (commencing with Section 49073) of Chapter 6.5 of Part 27 of this code.

Before calling such closed session of the governing board of the district to consider these matters, the governing board of the district shall, in writing, by registered or certified mail or by personal service, if the pupil is a minor, notify the pupil and his or her parent or guardian, or the pupil if the pupil is an adult, of the intent of the governing board of the district to call and hold such closed session. Unless the pupil, or his or her parent, or guardian shall, in writing, within 48 hours after receipt of such written notice of intention, request that the hearing of the governing board be held as a public meeting, then the hearing to consider such matters shall be conducted by the governing board in closed session. If such written request is served upon the clerk or secretary of the governing board, the meeting shall be public except that any discussion at such meeting that might be in conflict with the right to privacy of any pupil other than the pupil requesting the public meeting or on behalf of whom such meeting is requested, shall be in closed session. Whether the matter is considered at a closed session or at a public meeting, the final action of the governing board of the school district shall be taken at a public meeting and the result of such action shall be a public record of the school district.

EDC 35181.

The governing board of each school district may convene hearings, make findings, and adopt and issue policy statements setting forth the responsibilities of the pupils of that school district regarding academic performance, attendance, in-school behavior, and any other aspects of school life which the school district governing board may deem relevant to this task.

EDC 48911.

(a) The principal of the school, the principal's designee, or the district superintendent of schools may suspend a pupil from the school for any of the reasons enumerated in Section 48900, and pursuant to Section 48900.5, for no more than five consecutive schooldays.

(b) Suspension by the principal, the principal's designee, or the district superintendent of schools shall be preceded by an informal conference conducted by the principal, the principal's designee, or the district superintendent of schools between the pupil and, whenever practicable, the teacher, supervisor, or school employee who referred the pupil to the principal, the principal's designee, or the district superintendent of schools. At the conference, the pupil shall be informed of the reason for the disciplinary action, including the other means of correction that were attempted before the suspension as required under Section 48900.5, and the evidence against the pupil, and shall be given the opportunity to present the pupil's version and evidence in the pupil's defense.

(c) A principal, the principal's designee, or the district superintendent of schools may suspend a pupil without affording the pupil an opportunity for a conference only if the principal, the principal's designee, or the district superintendent of schools determines that an emergency situation exists. "Emergency situation," as used in this article, means a situation determined by the principal, the principal's designee, or the district superintendent of schools to constitute a clear and present danger to the life, safety, or health of pupils or school personnel. If a pupil is suspended without a conference before suspension, the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian, or, if the pupil is a foster child, the foster child's educational rights holder, attorney, and county social worker, or, if the pupil is an Indian child, as defined in Section 224.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the Indian child's tribal social worker and, if applicable, county social worker shall be notified of the pupil's right to a conference and the pupil's right to return to school for the purpose of a conference. The conference shall be held within two schooldays, unless the pupil waives this right or is physically unable to attend for any reason, including, but not limited to, incarceration or hospitalization. The conference shall then be held as soon as the pupil is physically able to return to school for the conference.

(d) At the time of suspension, a school employee shall make a reasonable effort to contact the pupil's parent or guardian or, if applicable, the foster child's educational rights holder, attorney, and county social worker, or, if applicable, the Indian child's tribal social worker and, if applicable, county social worker in person, by email, or by telephone. If a pupil is suspended from school, the parent or guardian or, if applicable, the foster child's educational rights holder, attorney, and county social worker, or, if applicable, the Indian child's tribal social worker and, if applicable, county social worker shall be notified in writing of the suspension.

(e) A school employee shall report the suspension of the pupil, including the cause for the suspension, to the governing board of the school district or to the district superintendent of schools in accordance with the regulations of the governing board of the school district.

(f)(1) The parent or guardian of a pupil or, if applicable, the foster child's educational rights holder, attorney, and county social worker, or, if applicable, the Indian child's tribal social worker and, if applicable, county social worker shall respond without delay to a request from school officials to attend a conference regarding the child's behavior.

(2) Penalties shall not be imposed on a pupil for failure of the pupil's parent or guardian or, if applicable, the foster child's educational rights holder, attorney, and county social worker, or, if applicable, the Indian child's tribal social worker and, if applicable, county social worker to attend a conference with school officials. Reinstatement of the suspended pupil shall not be contingent upon attendance by the pupil's parent or guardian or, if applicable, the foster child's educational rights holder, attorney, and county social worker, or, if applicable, the Indian child's tribal social worker and, if applicable, county social worker at the conference.

(g) In a case where expulsion from a school or suspension for the balance of the semester from continuation school is being processed by the governing board of the school district, the district superintendent of schools or other person designated by the district superintendent of schools in writing may extend the suspension until the governing board of the school district has rendered a decision in the action. However, an extension may be granted only if the district superintendent of schools or the district superintendent's designee has determined, following a meeting in which the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian are invited to participate, that the presence of the pupil at the school or in an alternative school placement would cause a danger to persons or property or a threat of disrupting the instructional process. If the pupil is a foster child, as defined in Section 48853.5, the district superintendent of schools or the district superintendent's designee, including, but not limited to, the educational liaison for the school district, shall also invite the pupil's educational rights holder, attorney, and the county social worker to participate in the meeting. If the pupil is an Indian child, as defined in Section 224.1 of the Welfare and Institutions Code, the district superintendent of schools or the district superintendent's designee, including, but not limited to, the educational liaison for the school district, shall also invite the pupil's tribal social worker and, if applicable, county social worker to participate in the meeting. If the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian or, if applicable, the foster child's educational rights holder, attorney, or county social worker, or, if applicable, the Indian child's tribal social worker or, if applicable, county social worker has requested a meeting to challenge the original suspension pursuant to Section 48914, the purpose of the meeting shall be to decide upon the extension of the suspension order under this section and may be held in conjunction with the initial meeting on the merits of the suspension.

EDC 48912.

(a) The governing board may suspend a pupil from school for any of the acts enumerated in Section 48900 for any number of schooldays within the limits prescribed by Section 48903.

(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 35145 of this code and Section 54950 of the Government Code, the governing board of a school district shall, unless a request has been made to the contrary, hold closed sessions if the board is considering the suspension of, disciplinary action against, or any other action against, except expulsion, any pupil, if a public hearing upon that question would lead to the giving out of information concerning a school pupil which would be in violation of Article 5 (commencing with Section 49073) of Chapter 6.5.

(c) Before calling a closed session to consider these matters, the governing board shall, in writing, by registered or certified mail or by personal service, notify the pupil and the pupil's parent or guardian, or the pupil if the pupil is an adult, of the intent of the governing board to call and hold a closed session. Unless the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian shall, in writing, within 48 hours after receipt of the written notice of the board's intention, request that the hearing be held as a public meeting, the hearing to consider these matters shall be conducted by the governing board in closed session. In the event that a written request is served upon the clerk or secretary of the governing board, the meeting shall be public, except that any discussion at that meeting which may be in conflict with the right to privacy of any pupil other than the pupil requesting the public meeting, shall be in closed session.

EDC 48915.1.

(a) If the governing board of a school district receives a request from an individual who has been expelled from another school district for an act other than those described in subdivision (a) or (c) of Section 48915, for enrollment in a school maintained by the school district, the board shall hold a hearing to determine whether that individual poses a continuing danger either to the pupils or employees of the school district. The hearing and notice shall be conducted in accordance with the rules and regulations governing procedures for the expulsion of pupils as described in Section 48918. A school district may request information from another school district regarding a recommendation for expulsion or the expulsion of an applicant for enrollment. The school district receiving the request shall respond to the request with all deliberate speed but shall respond no later than five working days from the date of the receipt of the request.

(b) If a pupil has been expelled from his or her previous school for an act other than those listed in subdivision (a) or (c) of Section 48915, the parent, guardian, or pupil, if the pupil is emancipated or otherwise legally of age, shall, upon enrollment, inform the receiving school district of his or her status with the previous school district. If this information is not provided to the school district and the school district later determines the pupil was expelled from the previous school, the lack of compliance shall be recorded and discussed in the hearing required pursuant to subdivision (a).

(c) The governing board of a school district may make a determination to deny enrollment to an individual who has been expelled from another school district for an act other than those described in subdivision (a) or (c) of Section 48915, for the remainder of the expulsion period after a determination has been made, pursuant to a hearing, that the individual poses a potential danger to either the pupils or employees of the school district.

(d) The governing board of a school district, when making its determination whether to enroll an individual who has been expelled from another school district for these acts, may consider the following options:

(1) Deny enrollment.

(2) Permit enrollment.

(3) Permit conditional enrollment in a regular school program or another educational program.

(e) Notwithstanding any other provision of law, the governing board of a school district, after a determination has been made, pursuant to a hearing, that an individual expelled from another school district for an act other than those described in subdivision (a) or (c) of Section 48915 does not pose a danger to either the pupils or employees of the school district, shall permit the individual to enroll in a school in the school district during the term of the expulsion, provided that he or she, subsequent to the expulsion, either has established legal residence in the school district, pursuant to Section 48200, or has enrolled in the school pursuant to an interdistrict agreement executed between the affected school districts pursuant to Chapter 5 (commencing with Section 46600).

EDC 48917.

(a) The governing board, upon voting to expel a pupil, may suspend the enforcement of the expulsion order for a period of not more than one calendar year and may, as a condition of the suspension of enforcement, assign the pupil to a school, class, or program that is deemed appropriate for the rehabilitation of the pupil. The rehabilitation program to which the pupil is assigned may provide for the involvement of the pupil's parent or guardian in his or her child's education in ways that are specified in the rehabilitation program. A parent or guardian's refusal to participate in the rehabilitation program shall not be considered in the governing board's determination as to whether the pupil has satisfactorily completed the rehabilitation program.

(b) The governing board shall apply the criteria for suspending the enforcement of the expulsion order equally to all pupils, including individuals with exceptional needs as defined in Section 56026.

(c) During the period of the suspension of the expulsion order, the pupil is deemed to be on probationary status.

(d) The governing board may revoke the suspension of an expulsion order under this section if the pupil commits any of the acts enumerated in Section 48900 or violates any of the district's rules and regulations governing pupil conduct. When the governing board revokes the suspension of an expulsion order, a pupil may be expelled under the terms of the original expulsion order.

(e) Upon satisfactory completion of the rehabilitation assignment of a pupil, the governing board shall reinstate the pupil in a school of the district and may also order the expungement of any or all records of the expulsion proceedings.

(f) A decision of the governing board to suspend an expulsion order does not affect the time period and requirements for the filing of an appeal of the expulsion order with the county board of education required under Section 48919. Any appeal shall be filed within 30 days of the original vote of the governing board.

EDC 48918.

The governing board of each school district shall establish rules and regulations governing procedures for the expulsion of pupils. These procedures shall include, but are not necessarily limited to, all of the following:

(a)(1) The pupil shall be entitled to a hearing to determine whether the pupil should be expelled. An expulsion hearing shall be held within 30 schooldays after the date the principal or the superintendent of schools determines that the pupil has committed any of the acts enumerated in Section 48900, unless the pupil requests, in writing, that the hearing be postponed. The adopted rules and regulations shall specify that the pupil is entitled to at least one postponement of an expulsion hearing, for a period of not more than 30 calendar days. Any additional postponement may be granted at the discretion of the governing board of the school district.

(2) Within 10 schooldays after the conclusion of the hearing, the governing board of the school district shall decide whether to expel the pupil, unless the pupil requests in writing that the decision be postponed. If the hearing is held by a hearing officer or an administrative panel, or if the governing board of the school district does not meet on a weekly basis, the governing board of the school district shall decide whether to expel the pupil within 40 schooldays after the date of the pupil's removal from his or her school of attendance for the incident for which the recommendation for expulsion is made by the principal or the superintendent of schools, unless the pupil requests in writing that the decision be postponed.

(3) If compliance by the governing board of the school district with the time requirements for the conducting of an expulsion hearing under this subdivision is impracticable during the regular school year, the superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee may, for good cause, extend the time period for the holding of the expulsion hearing for an additional five schooldays. If compliance by the governing board of the school district with the time requirements for the conducting of an expulsion hearing under this subdivision is impractical due to a summer recess of governing board meetings of more than two weeks, the days during the recess period shall not be counted as schooldays in meeting the time requirements. The days not counted as schooldays in meeting the time requirements for an expulsion hearing because of a summer recess of governing board meetings shall not exceed 20 schooldays, as defined in subdivision (c) of Section 48925, and unless the pupil requests in writing that the expulsion hearing be postponed, the hearing shall be held not later than 20 calendar days before the first day of school for the school year. Reasons for the extension of the time for the hearing shall be included as a part of the record at the time the expulsion hearing is conducted. Upon the commencement of the hearing, all matters shall be pursued and conducted with reasonable diligence and shall be concluded without any unnecessary delay.

(b) Written notice of the hearing shall be forwarded to the pupil at least 10 calendar days before the date of the hearing. The notice shall include all of the following:

(1) The date and place of the hearing.

(2) A statement of the specific facts and charges upon which the proposed expulsion is based.

(3) A copy of the disciplinary rules of the school district that relate to the alleged violation.

(4) A notice of the parent, guardian, or pupil's obligation pursuant to subdivision (b) of Section 48915.1.

(5) Notice of the opportunity for the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian to appear in person or to be represented by legal counsel or by a nonattorney adviser, to inspect and obtain copies of all documents to be used at the hearing, to confront and question all witnesses who testify at the hearing, to question all other evidence presented, and to present oral and documentary evidence on the pupil's behalf, including witnesses. In a hearing in which a pupil is alleged to have committed or attempted to commit a sexual assault as specified in subdivision (n) of Section 48900 or to have committed a sexual battery as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900, a complaining witness shall be given five days' notice before being called to testify, and shall be entitled to have up to two adult support persons, including, but not limited to, a parent, guardian, or legal counsel, present during his or her testimony. Before a complaining witness testifies, support persons shall be admonished that the hearing is confidential. This subdivision shall not preclude the person presiding over an expulsion hearing from removing a support person whom the presiding person finds is disrupting the hearing. If one or both of the support persons is also a witness, the provisions of Section 868.5 of the Penal Code shall be followed for the hearing. This section does not require a pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian to be represented by legal counsel or by a nonattorney adviser at the hearing.

(A) For purposes of this section, "legal counsel" means an attorney or lawyer who is admitted to the practice of law in California and is an active member of the State Bar of California.

(B) For purposes of this section, "nonattorney adviser" means an individual who is not an attorney or lawyer, but who is familiar with the facts of the case, and has been selected by the pupil or pupil's parent or guardian to provide assistance at the hearing.

(c)(1) Notwithstanding Section 35145, the governing board of the school district shall conduct a hearing to consider the expulsion of a pupil in a session closed to the public, unless the pupil requests, in writing, at least five days before the date of the hearing, that the hearing be conducted at a public meeting. Regardless of whether the expulsion hearing is conducted in a closed or public session, the governing board of the school district may meet in closed session for the purpose of deliberating and determining whether the pupil should be expelled.

(2) If the governing board of the school district or the hearing officer or administrative panel appointed under subdivision (d) to conduct the hearing admits any other person to a closed deliberation session, the parent or guardian of the pupil, the pupil, and the counsel of the pupil also shall be allowed to attend the closed deliberations.

(3) If the hearing is to be conducted at a public meeting, and there is a charge of committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900 or to commit a sexual battery as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900, a complaining witness shall have the right to have his or her testimony heard in a session closed to the public when testifying at a public meeting would threaten serious psychological harm to the complaining witness and there are no alternative procedures to avoid the threatened harm, including, but not limited to, videotaped deposition or contemporaneous examination in another place communicated to the hearing room by means of closed-circuit television.

(d) Instead of conducting an expulsion hearing itself, the governing board of the school district may contract with the county hearing officer, or with the Office of Administrative Hearings pursuant to Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 27720) of Part 3 of Division 2 of Title 3 of the Government Code and Section 35207 of this code, for a hearing officer to conduct the hearing. The governing board of the school district may also appoint an impartial administrative panel of three or more certificated persons, none of whom is a member of the governing board of the school district or employed on the staff of the school in which the pupil is enrolled. The hearing shall be conducted in accordance with all of the procedures established under this section.

(e) Within three schooldays after the hearing, the hearing officer or administrative panel shall determine whether to recommend the expulsion of the pupil to the governing board of the school district. If the hearing officer or administrative panel decides not to recommend expulsion, the expulsion proceedings shall be terminated and the pupil immediately shall be reinstated and permitted to return to the classroom instructional programfrom which the expulsion referral was made, unless the parent, guardian, or responsible adult of the pupil requests another school placement in writing. Before the placement decision is made by the parent, guardian, or responsible adult, the superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee shall consult with school district personnel, including the pupil's teachers, and the parent, guardian, orresponsible adult regarding any other school placement options for the pupil in addition to the option to return to his or her classroom instructional program from which the expulsion referral was made. If the hearing officer or administrative panel finds that the pupil committed any of the acts specified in subdivision (c) of Section 48915, but does not recommend expulsion, the pupil shall be immediately reinstated and may be referred to his or her prior school or another comprehensive school, or, pursuant to the procedures set forth in Section 48432.5, a continuation school of the school district. The decision not to recommend expulsion shall be final.

(f)(1) If the hearing officer or administrative panel recommends expulsion, findings of fact in support of the recommendation shall be prepared and submitted to the governing board of the school district. All findings of fact and recommendations shall be based solely on the evidence adduced at the hearing. If the governing board of the school district accepts the recommendation calling for expulsion, acceptance shall be based either upon a review of the findings of fact and recommendations submitted by the hearing officer or panel or upon the results of any supplementary hearing conducted pursuant to this section that the governing board of the school district may order.

(2) The decision of the governing board of the school district to expel a pupil shall be based upon substantial evidence relevant to the charges adduced at the expulsion hearing or hearings. Except as provided in this section, no evidence to expel shall be based solely upon hearsay evidence. The governing board of the school district or the hearing officer or administrative panel may, upon a finding that good cause exists, determine that the disclosure of either the identity of a witness or the testimony of that witness at the hearing, or both, would subject the witness to an unreasonable risk of psychological or physical harm. Upon this determination, the testimony of the witness may be presented at the hearing in the form of sworn declarations that shall be examined only by the governing board of the school district or the hearing officer or administrative panel. Copies of these sworn declarations, edited to delete the name and identity of the witness, shall be made available to the pupil.

(g) A record of the hearing shall be made. The record may be maintained by any means, including electronic recording, so long as a reasonably accurate and complete written transcription of the proceedings can be made.

(h)(1) Technical rules of evidence shall not apply to the hearing, but relevant evidence may be admitted and given probative effect only if it is the kind of evidence upon which reasonable persons are accustomed to rely in the conduct of serious affairs. A decision of the governing board of the school district to expel shall be supported by substantial evidence showing that the pupil committed any of the acts enumerated in Section 48900.

(2) In hearings that include an allegation of committing or attempting to commit a sexual assault as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900 or to commit a sexual battery as defined in subdivision (n) of Section 48900, evidence of specific instances, of a complaining witness' prior sexual conduct is to be presumed inadmissible and shall not be heard absent a determination by the person conducting the hearing that extraordinary circumstances exist requiring the evidence be heard. Before the person conducting the hearing makes the determination on whether extraordinary circumstances exist requiring that specific instances of a complaining witness' prior sexual conduct be heard, the complaining witness shall be provided notice and an opportunity to present opposition to the introduction of the evidence. In the hearing on the admissibility of the evidence, the complaining witness shall be entitled to be represented by a parent, guardian, legal counsel, or other support person. Reputation or opinion evidence regarding the sexual behavior of the complaining witness is not admissible for any purpose.

(i)(1) Before the hearing has commenced, the governing board of the school district may issue subpoenas at the request of either the superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee or the pupil, for the personal appearance of percipient witnesses at the hearing. After the hearing has commenced, the governing board of the school district or the hearing officer or administrative panel may, upon request of either the county superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee or the pupil, issue subpoenas. All subpoenas shall be issued in accordance with Sections 1985, 1985.1, and 1985.2 of the Code of Civil Procedure. Enforcement of subpoenas shall be done in accordance with Section 11455.20 of the Government Code.

(2) Any objection raised by the superintendent of schools or the superintendent's designee or the pupil to the issuance of subpoenas may be considered by the governing board of the school district in closed session, or in open session, if so requested by the pupil before the meeting. Any decision by the governing board of the school district in response to an objection to the issuance of subpoenas shall be final and binding.

(3) If the governing board of the school district, hearing officer, or administrative panel determines, in accordance with subdivision (f), that a percipient witness would be subject to an unreasonable risk of harm by testifying at the hearing, a subpoena shall not be issued to compel the personal attendance of that witness at the hearing. However, that witness may be compelled to testify by means of a sworn declaration as provided for in subdivision (f).

(4) Service of process shall be extended to all parts of the state and shall be served in accordance with Section 1987 of the Code of Civil Procedure. All witnesses appearing pursuant to subpoena, other than the parties or officers or employees of the state or any political subdivision of the state, shall receive fees, and all witnesses appearing pursuant to subpoena, except the parties, shall receive mileage in the same amount and under the same circumstances as prescribed for witnesses in civil actions in a superior court. Fees and mileage shall be paid by the party at whose request the witness is subpoenaed.

(j) Whether an expulsion hearing is conducted by the governing board of the school district or before a hearing officer or administrative panel, final action to expel a pupil shall be taken only by the governing board of the school district in a public session. Written notice of any decision to expel or to suspend the enforcement of an expulsion order during a period of probation shall be sent by the superintendent of schools or his or her designee to the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian and shall be accompanied by all of the following:

(1) Notice of the right to appeal the expulsion to the county board of education.

(2) Notice of the education alternative placement to be provided to the pupil during the time of expulsion.

(3) Notice of the obligation of the parent, guardian, or pupil under subdivision (b) of Section 48915.1, upon the pupil's enrollment in a new school district, to inform that school district of the pupil's expulsion.

(k)(1) The governing board of the school district shall maintain a record of each expulsion, including the cause for the expulsion. Records of expulsions shall be nonprivileged, disclosable public records.

(2) The expulsion order and the causes for the expulsion shall be recorded in the pupil's mandatory interim record and shall be forwarded to any school in which the pupil subsequently enrolls upon receipt of a request from the admitting school for the pupil's school records.

EDC 48918.1.

(a) If the decision is expulsion and the pupil is a foster child, as defined in Section 48853.5, the governing board of the school district shall provide notice of the expulsion hearing to the pupil's educational rights holder, attorney, and county social worker at least 10 calendar days before the date of the hearing. The notice may be made using the most cost- effective method possible, which may include, but is not limited to, email or a telephone call.

(b) 

(1) If the decision to recommend expulsion is a discretionary act and the pupil is a homeless child or youth, as defined in Section 11434a(2) of Title 42 of the United States Code , the governing board of the school district may provide notice of the expulsion hearing to local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth designated pursuant to Section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) of Title 42 of the United States Code at least 10 calendar days before the date of the hearing. The notice may be made using the most cost-effective method possible, which may include, but is not limited to, email or a telephone call.

(2) If a recommendation of expulsion is required and the pupil is a homeless child or youth, as defined in Section 11434a(2) of Title 42 of the United States Code, the governing board of the school district may provide notice of the expulsion hearing to the local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth designated pursuant to Section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) of Title 42 of the United States Code at least 10 calendar days before the date of the hearing. The notice may be made using the most cost-effective method possible, which may include, but is not limited to, email or a telephone call.

(c) If the decision is expulsion and the pupil an Indian child, , as defined in Section 11434a(2) of Title 42 of the United States Code, the governing board of the school district may provide notice of the expulsion hearing to the local educational agency liaison for homeless children and youth designated pursuant to Section 11432(g)(1)(J)(ii) of Title 42 of the United States Code at least 10 calendar days before the date of the hearing. The notice may be made using the most cost-effective method possible, which may include, but is not limited to, electronic mail or a telephone call.

EDC 48918.5.

In expulsion hearings involving allegations brought pursuant to subdivision (n) of Section 48900, the governing board of each school district shall establish rules and regulations governing procedures. The procedures shall include, but are not limited to, all of the following:

(a) At the time that the expulsion hearing is recommended, the complaining witness shall be provided with a copy of the applicable disciplinary rules and advised of his or her right to: (1) receive five days' notice of the complaining witness's scheduled testimony at the hearing, (2) have up to two adult support persons of his or her choosing, present in the hearing at the time he or she testifies; and (3) to have the hearing closed during the time they testify pursuant to subdivision (c) of Section 48918.

(b) An expulsion hearing may be postponed for one schoolday in order to accommodate the special physical, mental, or emotional needs of a pupil who is the complaining witness where the allegations arise under subdivision (n) of Section 48900.

(c) The district shall provide a nonthreatening environment for a complaining witness in order to better enable them to speak freely and accurately of the experiences that are the subject of the expulsion hearing, and to prevent discouragement of complaints. Each school district shall provide a room separate from the hearing room for the use of the complaining witness prior to and during breaks in testimony. In the discretion of the person conducting the hearing, the complaining witness shall be allowed reasonable periods of relief from examination and cross-examination during which he or she may leave the hearing room. The person conducting the hearing may arrange the seating within the hearing room of those present in order to facilitate a less intimidating environment for the complaining witness. The person conducting the hearing may limit the time for taking the testimony of a complaining witness to the hours he or she is normally in school, if there is no good cause to take the testimony during other hours. The person conducting the hearing may permit one of the complaining witness's support persons to accompany him or her to the witness stand.

(d) Whenever any allegation is made of conduct violative of subdivision (n) of Section 48900, complaining witnesses and accused pupils are to be advised immediately to refrain from personal or telephonic contact with each other during the pendency of any expulsion process.

EDC 48918.6.

In addition to any other immunity that may exist, any testimony provided by a pupil witness in an expulsion hearing conducted pursuant to this article is expressly deemed to be a communication protected by subdivision (b) of Section 47 of the Civil Code.

EDC 48919

If a pupil is expelled from school, the pupil or the pupil's parent or guardian may, within 30 days following the decision of the governing board to expel, file an appeal to the county board of education which shall hold a hearing thereon and render its decision.

The county board of education, or in a class 1 or class 2 county a hearing officer or impartial administrative panel, shall hold the hearing within 20 schooldays following the filing of a formal request under this section. If the county board of education hears the appeal without a hearing conducted pursuant to Section 48919.5, then the board shall render a decision within three schooldays of the hearing conducted pursuant to Section 48920, unless the pupil requests a postponement.

The period within which an appeal is to be filed shall be determined from the date a governing board votes to expel even if enforcement of the expulsion action is suspended and the pupil is placed on probation pursuant to Section 48917. A pupil who fails to appeal the original action of the board within the prescribed time may not subsequently appeal a decision of the board to revoke probation and impose the original order of expulsion.

The county board of education shall adopt rules and regulations establishing procedures for expulsion appeals conducted under this section. If the county board of education in a class 1 or class 2 county elects to use the procedures in Section 48919.5, then the board shall adopt rules and regulations establishing procedures for expulsion appeals conducted under Section 48919.5. The adopted rules and regulations shall include, but need not be limited to, the requirements for filing a notice of appeal, the setting of a hearing date, the furnishing of notice to the pupil and the governing board regarding the appeal, the furnishing of a copy of the expulsion hearing record to the county board of education, procedures for the conduct of the hearing, and the preservation of the record of the appeal.

The pupil shall submit a written request for a copy of the written transcripts and supporting documents from the school district simultaneously with the filing of the notice of appeal with the county board of education. The school district shall provide the pupil with the transcriptions, supporting documents, and records within 10 schooldays following the pupil's written request. Upon receipt of the records, the pupil shall immediately file suitable copies of these records with the county board of education.

EDC 48919.5

(a) A county board of education in a class 1 or class 2 county may have a hearing officer pursuant to Chapter 14 (commencing with Section 27720) of Part 3 of Title 3 of the Government Code, or an impartial administrative panel of three or more certificated persons appointed by the county board of education, hear appeals filed pursuant to Section 48919. The members of the impartial administrative panel shall not be members of the governing board of the school district nor employees of the school district, from which the pupil filing the appeal was expelled. Neither the hearing officer, nor any member of the administrative panel, hearing a pupil's appeal shall have been the hearing officer or a member of the administrative panel that conducted the pupil's expulsion hearing.

(b) A hearing conducted pursuant to this section shall not issue a final order of the county board. The hearing officer or impartial administrative panel shall prepare a recommended decision, including any findings or conclusions required for that decision, and shall submit that recommendation and the record to the county board of education within three schooldays of hearing the appeal.

(c) Sections 48919, 48920, 48921, 48922, 48923, and 48925 are applicable to a hearing conducted pursuant to this section.

(d) Within 10 schooldays of receiving the recommended decision and record from the hearing officer or the impartial administrative panel, the county board of education shall review the recommended decision and record and render a final order of the board.

(e) For purposes of this article, the following definitions shall apply:

(1) "Countywide ADA" means the aggregate number of annual units of regular average daily attendance for the fiscal year in all school districts within the county.
(2) "Class 1 county" means a county with 1994/95 countywide ADA of more than 500,000.
(3) "Class 2 county" means a county with 1994/95 countywide ADA of at least 180,000 but less than 500,000.

EDC 48920

Notwithstanding the provisions of Section 54950 of the Government Code and Section 35145 of this code, the county board of education shall hear an appeal of an expulsion order in closed session, unless the pupil requests, in writing, at least five days prior to the date of the hearing, that the hearing be conducted in a public meeting. Upon the timely submission of a request for a public meeting, the county board of education shall be required to honor the request. Whether the hearing is conducted in closed or public session, the county board may meet in closed session for the purpose of deliberations. If the county board admits any representative of the pupil or the school district, the board shall, at the same time, admit representatives from the opposing party.

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