RÉSUMÉ DIGEST
ACT 473 (HB 411) 2021 Regular Session Hughes
Existing law provides relative to student discipline. New law provides a comprehensive
revision of existing law, applicable to all public schools including charter schools.
Specific changes include the following:
(1)Requires school boards to adopt student codes of conduct and generally requires that
students be disciplined for violations of such codes rather than for a list of specific
behaviors defined by law. Requires that such codes of conduct include progressive
levels of minor through major infractions and identify corresponding minor through
major interventions and consequences.
(2)Provides additional disciplinary measures a principal may implement before
returning a student to a classroom.
(3)Provides that conferences with parents may be held by telephone or virtual means.
(4)Makes existing law requirements for discussions with the student and parents prior
to a suspension also applicable to assignment to alternative placements and
expulsions.
(5)Existing law prohibits readmission to school of a student who damaged school
property until payment has been made for the damage. New law makes the provision
applicable to damage to any property on school grounds or owned by an employee
or student. New law also authorizes readmission of the student if alternative
restitution or an alternative payment plan has been arranged.
(6)Relative to students carrying knives, increases the minimum length of a knife blade
for which suspension is required from two to two and one-half inches.
(7)Requires prescription medicines to be carried in their original packaging.
(8)Requires expulsion hearings to be held within 15 school days.
(9)Limits the length of certain expulsions for criminal behavior to the student's period
of adjudication as determined by a court.
(10)Requires the Dept. of Education to publish data on disciplinary removals.
Effective August 1, 2021.
(Amends R.S. 17:416 and 3996(B)(40))