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Student Code of Conduct & Discipline

High standards of student conduct and an understanding of what constitutes appropriate school behavior are critically important to student success at Colorado Early Colleges (CEC).

CEC, in accordance with state law, adopts and administers the Student Code of Conduct and Discipline policy in an equitable manner and trains staff to enforce it uniformly, fairly, and consistently for all students.

In accordance with C.R.S. 22-33-106, CEC will consider all legal factors in its determination of appropriate disciplinary consequences for a student.

The discipline process will incorporate restorative justice best practices to address the needs of the student who engaged in the misconduct, the needs of those affected by the misconduct, and the needs of the overall school community.

In all instances, students are expected to conduct themselves by behaving with an appropriate level of maturity and respecting the authority of CEC school staff and leadership. All CEC employees are expected to share the responsibility for supervising student behavior and for seeing that students abide by the established rules of conduct.

CEC’s Student Code of Conduct and Discipline policy is posted on the CEC website and included in each school’s Student and Family Handbook.

Students With Disabilities

Discipline for students with disabilities shall be in accordance with the student’s Individualized Education Plan (IEP), any behavior intervention plan, 504 plan, and applicable laws affording procedural safeguards to students with disabilities.

Student Conduct Subject to Disciplinary Action

The CEC Head of School, or their designee, can discipline a student who engages in conduct detrimental to the welfare or safety of other students or school personnel while in the classroom, in the school building, off school property, at a school activity, or at a school-sanctioned event. This may include, but is not limited to:

  • Continued willful disobedience or open and persistent defiance of proper authority, including deliberate refusal to obey a member of the school staff.
  • Violation of CEC school policy as outlined in the Student and Family Handbook or on the CEC website.
  • Behavior on or off school property which is detrimental to the welfare or safety of other students or school personnel, including behavior that creates a threat of physical harm to the student exhibiting the behavior or to one or more other students.

Procedure for Removal of Disruptive Student from Classroom

For purposes of this policy:

  • A “class” and/or “classroom” includes any learning opportunities taught or supervised by a teacher to include remote learning.
  • “Teacher” means a person who is employed or authorized to instruct, direct, or supervise the instructional program.
  • “Habitually disruptive student means a student that has caused a material and substantial disruption on school grounds, in a school vehicle, or at a school activity or school sanctioned event three (3) or more times during the school year.

 

CEC strives to maintain classrooms in which student behavior does not interfere with the ability of the teacher to teach effectively or the ability of other students to participate in classroom learning activities. A teacher may remove a disruptive student from their in-person or virtual classroom to ensure the educational environment in the classroom.

A student may be removed from class for conduct of behavior that includes:

  • Conduct that is prohibited by the Student Code of Conduct and Discipline policy. A teacher’s decision to remove a student from class for behavior covered by CEC’s policy regarding suspension and expulsion may, but does not necessarily mean, that the student will be suspended and/or recommended for expulsion.
  • Disruptive, dangerous, or unruly behavior. The following behaviors, by way of example and without limitation, may be determined to be disruptive, dangerous, or unruly:
    • Inappropriate physical contact intended or likely to hurt, distract, or annoy others such as hitting, biting, pushing, shoving, poking, pinching, or grabbing.
    • Inappropriate verbal conduct or speech, such as the use of profane/vulgar language or slang, commonly referred to as cursing or cussing. This includes verbal conduct or speech that is intended to upset or has the likelihood of upsetting another individual.
    • Additionally, any verbal conduct or speech that is meant to distract, annoy, or torment others, such as name-calling, teasing, and baiting, is also prohibited. Further, the use of profane/bad language, commonly referred to as cursing or cussing, will not be tolerated.
    • Behavior that may constitute sexual or other harassment.
    • Repeated or extreme inappropriate verbal conduct likely to disrupt the classroom, particularly when others are talking (e.g., lecture by teacher, response by other student, presentation by visitor) or during quiet study time.
    • Throwing any object, particularly one likely to cause harm or damage such as books, pencils, scissors, etc.
    • Inciting other students to act inappropriately or to unwarrantedly disobey the teacher or school/classroom rules, including without limitation, inciting others to walk out.
    • Destroying or damaging the property of the school, the teacher, or another student.
    • Creating an unsafe physical, emotional, or psychological environment.
    • Conduct that otherwise interferes with the ability of the teacher to teach effectively. Students are required to cooperate with the teacher by listening attentively, obeying all instructions promptly, and responding appropriately when called upon. A student’s noncompliance may, in turn, distract others either by setting a bad example or by diverting the class from the lesson to the student’s inappropriate behavior. By way of example and without limitation, this behavior includes:
      • Open defiance of the teacher, manifested in words, gestures, or other overt behavior.
      • Open disrespect of the teacher, manifested in words, gestures, or other overt behavior.
      • Other behavior likely intended to sabotage or undermine classroom instruction.

A teacher shall use restorative practices and warn a student that continued misbehavior may result in removal from class. When the teacher determines that the behavior is extreme and that the student’s removal from class is appropriate, the teacher shall take one of the following courses of action:

  • Instruct the student to go to the school’s Leadership office. Unless prevented by immediate circumstances, the teacher will inform the Head of School, or designee, of the reason for the student’s removal from class.
  • Obtain coverage for the class and escort the student to the Leadership office. The teacher will inform the Head of School, or designee, of the reason for the student’s removal from class.
  • Seek assistance from the Leadership office or other available staff. When assistance arrives, the teacher, or the other staff member, should accompany the student to the Leadership office. The Head of School, or designee, will be informed of the reason for thestudent’s removal.

 

When the student arrives at the Leadership office, the Head of School, or designee, will give the student an opportunity to briefly explain the situation. If the Head of School, or designee, is not available immediately upon the student’s arrival, the student will be taken to a temporary educational area and the Head of School, or designee, will speak to the student as soon as practicable.

At the discretion of the Head of School, or designee, the student may be placed in another appropriate classroom, program, or educational setting provided that all students are supervised in the alternative location.

Students placed in an alternative location must be supervised, and students are expected to do academic work. If possible, work should be related to the work in the class from which the student was removed or related to the student’s misconduct. In no event should a student’s time in the temporary educational area be recreational or free time.

In most cases, a student will remain in the temporary educational area for the duration of the class from which they were removed. Prior to allowing the student to resume their normal schedule, the Head of School, or designee, will employ restorative practices to determine if the student is emotionally ready and able to return to class. In the event it is deemed that it is not appropriate to return the student to regular classes, the Head of School, or designee, may consider a different placement option.

The teacher will submit to the Head of School, or designee, a concise written explanation for the student’s removal from class and any restorative interventions that were attempted to prevent removal within 24 hours of the student’s removal from class. As soon as practicable, the Head of School, or designee, will notify the student’s parent/guardian in writing that the student was removed from class. The written notice will specify the class from which the student was removed, the duration of the removal, and the reason(s) for the removal as stated by the teacher. The notice will provide an opportunity for the parent/guardian to attend a student-teacher conference regarding the removal. As warranted, a Multi-Tiered System of Supports Plan may be developed after the first classroom removal. The student and the parent/guardian shall be notified in writing of each disruption counted toward declaring the student as a “habitually disruptive student,” and the student and parent/guardian shall be notified in writing and by telephone or other means at the home or place of employment of the parent/guardian of the definition of “habitually disruptive student.”

If the student’s removal from class is also subject to disciplinary action (i.e., suspension or recommendation for expulsion) for the particular classroom misconduct, the student’s parent/guardian will also be notified of the disciplinary action in accordance with legal and policy requirements.

A student may be permanently removed from a teacher’s class and the Head of School will be responsible for determining the appropriate placement of the student, which may or may not be another section of the same class, depending on a variety of circumstances. The Head of School’s decision regarding placement is final. A student will only be removed from a teacher’s class for the remainder of the term of class if the Head of School or designee has developed and implemented a behavior plan for the student.

Every effort will be made to ensure that the student will not be negatively impacted academically if their subsequent behavior would allow them to continue their studies in another section of the course.

If seclusion or restraint is used, the school will follow CEC’s Corporal Punishment/Use of Physical Intervention and Restraint policy.

Removal from class under this policy does not prohibit the school from pursuing or implementing additional disciplinary measures, including, but not limited to restorative interventions, detentions, suspensions, or expulsions for the conduct or behavior for which the student was removed, in accordance with CEC policy Suspension/Expulsion of Students.

Multi-Tiered System of Supports (MTSS) Student Support Plan

Each CEC school will develop a MTSS Student Support plan for any student who causes a significant and substantial disruption in the classroom, on school grounds, in school vehicles, or at school activities/events, as warranted. The goal of the MTSS Student Support Plan is to address the student’s disruptive behavior and educational needs while keeping the student in school. To develop the plan, the Head of School, or designee, will contact the student’s parent/guardian to schedule a meeting. The meeting will include the student, the student’s parent/guardian, and any staff members the Head of School believes should attend. The purpose of the meeting will be to address the reasons for the student’s disruptive behavior and to establish goals, objectives, and timelines to modify such behavior. A written plan will be prepared that addresses the student’s disruptive behavior, educational needs, and what steps are necessary to keep the student in school. The plan will include incentives for good behavior and consequences if the student violates the plan. The plan will be written in the form of a contract, which the student and the parent/guardian will sign and date. The parent/guardian will be provided a copy of the remedial discipline plan and it will be placed in the student’s cumulative file.

Grievances

Issues/concerns with student discipline shall be addressed via CEC’s Network Grievance policy.

Suspension and Expulsion

See CEC’s Suspension/Expulsion of Students policy.

Questions?

CEC encourages staff, students, parents, and all members of the CEC community to become familiar with our policies and procedures. For questions or comments regarding our policies and procedures, please contact:

Melissa Talan, MBA
Executive Office Administrator

Message Melissa Talan

SECTION: Students
Student Code of Conduct and Discipline
Approved: 01/2023