Bill > H4068

This bill establishes comprehensive guidelines for suspending preschool students in publicly funded programs (such as CERDEP, EIA, Title I, and district-funded programs), with the primary goal of minimizing student removals and supporting children with challenging behaviors. The legislation defines "challenging behavior" and sets strict parameters for suspensions, requiring schools to exhaust multiple intervention strategies before removing a student, including using multitiered support systems, trauma-informed care, behavioral specialists, and mental health therapists. Out-of-school suspensions are only permitted in serious safety situations, and in-school suspensions are allowed only after interventions have failed. The bill mandates that schools attempt to maintain student enrollment by conducting comprehensive assessments, reviewing individual education plans, and revising codes of conduct to be age-appropriate for preschoolers. Additionally, the State Department of Education must provide professional development for educators on handling challenging behaviors, create resource materials for parents, and collect detailed suspension and expulsion data. Schools must document all efforts to support students in their information systems, with the ultimate aim of keeping young children in educational settings while addressing behavioral challenges constructively and compassionately.

Education

https://www.scstatehouse.gov/billsearch.php?billnumbers=4068&session=126&summary=B