A BILL TO BE ENTITLED
AN ACT TO PROHIBIT CORPORAl PUNISHMENT IN the public schools.
Whereas, "corporal punishment" is defined in statute as "the intentional infliction of physical pain upon the body of a student as a disciplinary measure"; and
Whereas, more than 80 research studies confirm that corporal punishment is not associated with improvement in academic outcomes, but is associated with impeding students' psychological and emotional development; and
Whereas, 31 states have enacted statutory bans on corporal punishment in public schools; and
Whereas, none of this State's 115 local school administrative units currently allow the use of corporal punishment; and
Whereas, the State Board of Education, the North Carolina Parent Teacher Association, and virtually all professional and advocacy organizations related to children recommend the prohibition of corporal punishment in public schools; Now, therefore,
The General Assembly of North Carolina enacts:
SECTION 1.  G.S. 115C‑390.4 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑390.4.  Corporal punishment prohibited.
(a)	Corporal punishment is prohibited. Use of physical restraint in accordance with federal law and G.S. 115C‑391.1 and reasonable use of force pursuant to G.S. 115C‑390.3 shall not be considered corporal punishment.

	

	

	

	
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SECTION 2.  G.S. 115C‑12(27) reads as rewritten:
"(27)	Reporting Dropout Rates, Suspensions, Expulsions, and Alternative Placements. – The State Board shall report by March 15 of each year to the Joint Legislative Education Oversight Committee on the numbers of students who have dropped out of school, been suspended, been expelled, been reassigned for disciplinary purposes, or been provided alternative education services. The data shall be reported in a disaggregated manner, reflecting the local school administrative unit, race, gender, grade level, ethnicity, and disability status of each affected student. Such data shall be readily available to the public. The State Board shall not include students that have been expelled from school when calculating the dropout rate. The Board shall maintain a separate record of the number of students who are expelled from school and the reasons for the expulsion."
SECTION 3.  G.S. 115C‑107.7 reads as rewritten:
"§ 115C‑107.7.  Discipline and homebound instruction.
(a)	The policies and procedures for the discipline of students with disabilities shall be consistent with federal laws and regulations.
	
…."
SECTION 4.  G.S. 115C‑276(r) reads as rewritten:
"(r)	To Maintain Student Discipline. – The superintendent shall maintain student discipline in accordance with Article 27 of this Chapter and shall keep data on each student who was suspended for more than 10 days, who was reassigned for disciplinary reasons, or who was expelled. This data shall include the race, gender, age, grade level, ethnicity, and disability status of each student, the duration of suspension for each student, whether alternative education services were provided for each student, and whether a student had multiple suspensions in that academic year."
SECTION 5.  G.S. 115C‑390.2(h) reads as rewritten:
"(h)	Governing body policies shall include the procedures to be followed by school officials in suspending or expelling any student, which shall be consistent with this Article."
SECTION 6.  G.S. 6‑21.4 is repealed.
SECTION 7.  This act is effective when it becomes law and applies beginning with the 2025‑2026 school year. Section 6 of this act does not apply to civil actions arising from the use of corporal punishment prior to the effective date of this act.