Bill > S2524

This bill establishes new provisions for student and teacher classroom safety by defining "disruptive behavior" as actions that significantly hinder a teacher's ability to instruct or maintain order, or impede other students' learning, and "chronically disruptive student" as one with at least three documented instances of such behavior in a school term. Teachers are granted the authority to remove students from the classroom if they are chronically disruptive despite interventions or if they pose an "immediate threat," meaning an imminent danger to others, but not for minor infractions like tardiness. Following a removal, the principal or a designee must review the incident, notify parents within 24 hours, and develop a "return-to-classroom plan" with the teacher's input before the student can return; if the teacher objects to this plan, a review committee will decide. The bill also outlines student protections, ensuring that students with disabilities receive all rights under federal laws like the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) and the Rehabilitation Act, and that removals leading to suspension follow existing suspension procedures. School districts are required to adopt policies consistent with these provisions by October 1, 2026, and report annual data on removals, placements, and plans, disaggregated by demographic information, to the department of elementary and secondary education (RIDE). Furthermore, teachers and school employees acting in good faith under this section are protected from disciplinary action or retaliation, though this does not override collective bargaining agreements.

Education

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