A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO REAFFIRM LOCAL CONTROL OVER STUDENT DISCIPLINE POLICIES NOT INCONSISTENT WITH STATE AND FEDERAL LAW.
Whereas, it is the intent of the General Assembly, in accordance with Article 27 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes, to create and maintain a safe and orderly school environment in which students are taught to respect themselves, others, and property, and to conduct themselves in a manner that fosters their own learning and the learning of those around them; and
Whereas, the General Assembly believes that, in order to achieve these goals, teachers, parents, local boards of education, and community stakeholders must play a significant role in developing and enforcing student discipline policies adopted in their local school administrative units; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.(a)  Local boards of education with student discipline policies based on any of the following statements of policy and guidance, promulgated by the United States Department of Justice and the United States Department of Education on January 8, 2014, and withdrawn by those same agencies on December 21, 2018, shall repeal those policies and adopt new policies in accordance with local standards of conduct, Article 27 of Chapter 115C of the General Statutes, and current federal law:
(1)	Dear Colleague Letter on Nondiscriminatory Administration of School Discipline, dated January 8, 2014.
(2)	Overview of the Supportive School Discipline Initiative, dated January 8, 2014.
(3)	Guiding Principles: A Resource Guide for Improving School Climate and Discipline, dated January 8, 2014.
(4)	Appendix 1: U.S. Department of Education Directory of Federal School Climate and Discipline Resources, dated January 8, 2014.
(5)	Appendix 2: Compendium of School Discipline Laws and Regulations for the 50 States, Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico, dated January 8, 2014.
(6)	School Discipline Guidance Package FAQs, dated January 8, 2014.
SECTION 1.(b)  Student discipline policies adopted in accordance with this section shall comply with all applicable State and federal statutory and constitutional nondiscrimination requirements.
SECTION 1.(c)  G.S. 115C‑390.2(a) reads as rewritten:
"(a)	Local boards of education, in consultation with teachers, school‑based administrators, parents, and local law enforcement agencies, shall adopt policies to govern the conduct of students and establish procedures to be followed by school officials in disciplining students. These policies shall be based on local standards of conduct and must be consistent with the provisions of this Article and the constitutions, statutes, and regulations of the United States and the State of North Carolina. These policies need not be consistent with interpretations of federal law promulgated by federal agencies that have been withdrawn by those agencies."
SECTION 1.(d)  G.S. 115C‑390.2 is amended by adding a new subsection to read:
"(a1)	No later than September 1 of each year, each local board of education shall provide the Department of Public Instruction with a copy of its most up‑to‑date student discipline policies."
SECTION 2.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2019‑2020 school year. Sections 1(b) and 1(c) of this act apply to student discipline policies adopted on or after the effective date of this act.