Student discipline

Information about the disciplinary process for students with disabilities can be found in the Special Education Standard Operating Procedures Manual and Chancellor’s Regulation A-443 and in the Citywide Behavioral Expectations to Support Student Learning (K-5) and 6-12 (Student Intervention and Discipline Code and Student Bill of Rights).

MDR resources

• Standard Operating Procedures Manual — Topic: Students With Disabilities Subject to Discipline: An Overview
  This document addresses: (a) The circumstances under which an MDR must be conducted for a SWD; (b) how to schedule an MDR meeting; (c) procedural requirements; (d) steps that a school must take following an MDR; and (e) SOHO, the DOE’s system of record for suspensions and removals.
• Manifestation Determination Review Flow Chart
  See a chart of steps to follow following an incident and a timeline for conducting an MDR.
• Steps for Scheduling MDR Meetings: Guidance for Schools
  A checklist and timeline for school MDR coordinators.
• Part 201: Procedural Safeguards for Students With Disabilities Subject to Discipline
  State guidelines and provisions regarding students with disabilities subject to discipline.
• Letter to Nathan (MDR requirement for students who have not yet been evaluated) - Jan. 2019

Updated federal guidance

• Dear Colleague Letter on Implementation of IDEA Discipline Provisions (July 19, 2022)
• Positive, Proactive Approaches to Supporting Children with Disabilities: A Guide for Stakeholders (July 19, 2022)
• Questions and Answers: Addressing the Needs of Children with Disabilities and IDEA’s Discipline Provisions (July 19, 2022)
• Supporting Students with Disabilities and Avoiding the Discriminatory Use of Student Discipline under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (July 19, 2022)