There have been an increasing number of incidents in which school resource officers (SRO) have been used to manage student disciplinary issues with disastrous results. Court cases brought by parents and advocacy groups claim SROs have traumatized and injured students. This article addresses several critical issues concerning SROs being used to…

Horrific events such as the fatal shooting of three high school students in Chardon, Ohio, in the winter of 2012 places tremendous pressure on state and local agencies to ensure that schools provide a safe and conducive learning environment for all students. To help curb school violence, schools have adopted zero-tolerance policies, which often…

Special education research and practice has had an inextricable link to case law. Indeed, Smith, Katsiyannis, and Ryan (2014) suggest that case law can be a useful tool in providing legal information, identifying emerging areas of need, and in informing practice. As such, the Office of Civil Rights (OCR) rulings, hearings, and Dear Colleague…

Discriminatory discipline has been widely documented for decades, yet little progress has been made to narrow the gap. Due to the long-standing history of discriminatory discipline, current nationwide data, and recent federal initiatives, there is a need for a comprehensive examination of this critical issue. Therefore, we discuss populations…

Special education litigation remains a volatile area with significant practice implications. A review of the 2010 case law in the "Special Educator" identified discipline (manifestation determination, seclusion and restraints, harassment), evaluation/RTI, and postsecondary transition as specific areas of concern. School administrators should keep…

An examination of disciplinary guidelines indicates that school officials are held to a higher standard of proof in disciplinary proceedings involving students with disabilities. Principals have considerable leeway for short-term disciplinary exclusions, and for excluding any students bringing firearms to school. Preventive measures are best for…

Discusses issues related to implementing the new discipline provisions in the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act Amendments of 1997. Litigation that led to the new provisions is described, along with issues relating to conducting functional assessments, making a manifestation determination, generating interim placements, and cessation of…

Existing policies of local education agencies in Virginia concerning suspension and expulsion of handicapped students were evaluated in light of 6 recommended components. Responses of 78 special education directors to a questionnaire were synthesized with the policy information to develop a model procedure reflecting current trends in disciplining…

Analysis of survey responses of 37 directors of special education revealed that states are complying with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (1997 amendments) in developing disciplinary policies and monitoring procedures, in providing training and technical assistance concerning discipline to school districts, and in developing…