Every legislative session starts the same way: a stack of education bills, a lot of confident predictions, and absolutely no agreement about what will actually happen.
But here’s one thing we already know about this session. Schools are going to have homework.
Your first assignment is LB 653, which will become effective on July 17 (assuming the session adjourns on time). LB 653 makes meaningful changes to option enrollment and the procedures that you must follow under the Student Discipline Act.
Option Enrollment Changes. Once effective, LB 653 will require school districts to “automatically accept applications for siblings of option students enrolled in the option school district without regard to capacity limitations.” Obviously, this change will affect how you accept or reject option applications, and school boards will need to update their board policies on option enrollment and board resolutions setting various capacities for option students.
Even though LB 653 will not be law until this summer, school administrators should be proactive in assessing the implications of LB 653 as they review option applications this spring. KSB full policy service subscribers: check the portal for a memo that gives you actionable advice on how to respond to option applications now that LB 653 has passed but before this year's policy updates go out.
Student Discipline Act Changes. The other main component of LB 653 concerns changes to the Nebraska Student Discipline Act. For example, there are changes to the circumstances under which you can suspend certain students and new requirements to provide certain written notices earlier in the student discipline process. More than mere technical paperwork, these changes will require your administrators to consider your practices in responding to incidents of student misconduct in light of the new mandatory procedures.
Thankfully, these changes should not affect your discipline decisions until next school year. We will be hosting a Student Discipline Workshop to bring attendees up to speed on these new requirements and to refresh best practices to student discipline.
If you have any questions about LB 653, option enrollment, or student discipline, please do not hesitate to reach out to Karen, Steve, Bobby, Coady, Jordan, Sara, or Amanda at (402) 804-8000 or all of us at ksb@ksbschoollaw.com.