By Elizabeth Benton, Register Staff

NEW HAVEN — The Board of Education has reviewed a new conduct code intended to reduce the use of out-of-school suspensions and create standard discipline expectations throughout city schools.

About 15 percent of New Haven students served an out-of-school suspension last school year, according to district data.

The proposed Unified Code of Conduct has been in the works for a year and a half, and includes input from teachers, administrators, students and parent-advocacy group Teach Our Children, which has lobbied hard for changes in student discipline policies.

The code was presented to the Board of Education recently for review, but will not require a board vote. A policy accompanying the code is being drafted, and is expected to be presented to the board for a first reading 6 p.m. May 26. The board may vote to approve the policy after a second reading. A date for that vote has not been set, according to district spokeswoman Michelle Wade.

The document brings the district into compliance with a state law requiring suspensions be served in school, unless students pose such a danger or disruption that they must be excluded.

The law was initially set to go into effect July 1, 2008, but has been postponed under pressure from districts reporting an inability to fund in-school suspension programs.

The law is currently set to go into effect in July, but state legislators are now considering proposals that would suspend the implementation until either 2011 or 2012.

The proposed code breaks down student discipline offenses into four categories, ranging from minor problems, such as dress-code violations and lateness, to what Superintendent of Schools Reginald Mayo described as “zero-tolerance” offenses, including sexual assault, use of a weapon and arson.

While the principal’s judgment in discipline remains “paramount,” Mayo said, the code spells out varying levels of response to each category of offense, ranging from a time out to police referral and expulsion.

Parents would be notified of any disciplinary action. Continued...

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The code also includes a list of “alternatives to suspension,” including Saturday school, community service, peer mediation, parent meetings and a counseling referral.

Out-of-school suspension is required for the most serious category of offenses.

“We hope the consistent policy will reduce out of school suspensions, and bring consistency to suspensions and discipline,” Mayo said.

“We’ve got to get through to our young people they have a responsibility for this also,” he said. “We need to preach that.”

Angela Watley, a Teacher Our Children parent leader, told the school board her group is “excited” about the district’s decision to comply with the state suspension law.

“We look forward to seeing the plans laid out by principals in schools across the district for alternative discipline,” she said.

Elizabeth Benton can be reached at 789-5714 or ebenton@nhregister.com.

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