Amendment #9, as changed to H4879

Requiring Intermediary Steps Before Exclusion

Mr. Ultrino of Malden moves to amend the bill by inserting after section 25 the following section:-

SECTION 25A. Section 37H¾ of chapter 71 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking out paragraph (b) and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:-

(b) Any principal, headmaster, superintendent or person acting as a decision-maker at a student meeting or hearing, when deciding the consequences for the student, shall consider ways to re-engage the student in the learning process; and shall not suspend or expel a student until alternative remedies have been employed and their use and results documented, following and in direct response to a specific incident or incidents, except in cases where the student’s continued presence in school would pose a specific, documentable concern about the infliction of serious bodily injury upon another person while in school. Alternative remedies may include, but shall not be limited to: (i) mediation; (ii) conflict resolution; (iii) restorative justice; and (iv) collaborative problem solving. The principal, headmaster, superintendent or person acting as a decision-maker shall also implement school- or district-wide models to re-engage students in the learning process, which shall include but not be limited to: (i) positive behavioral interventions and supports models and (ii) trauma sensitive learning models; provided, however, that school- or district-wide models shall not be considered a direct response to a specific incident.

Additional co-sponsor(s) added to Amendment #9, as changed to H4879

Requiring Intermediary Steps Before Exclusion