This article was sent to us from the WSSDA team and is republished on our blog with permission.
As many of you know, OSPI has completed its permanent rulemaking process regarding student discipline. The updated permanent rules took effect on July 11, 2025. These rules mostly mirror the emergency rules issued in September 2024, but also include additional
changes that school districts should carefully review.
To help school districts comply with the new requirements, WSSDA has updated its model student discipline policy and procedure, 3241/3241P. 3241/3241P – Student Discipline is available on our Featured Policy webpage.
General Approach
In developing the model policy and procedure, WSSDA focused on aligning them with the state’s student discipline rules. As a rule of thumb, language not directly required by the rules was generally removed, even if it did not conflict with them.
The intent was to offer school districts a model policy and procedure that meets legal requirements without adding anything extra unless there was a good reason to do so, like providing examples of what might constitute disciplinary action in the
definition of “discretionary discipline.”
Key Policy and Procedure Updates
Based on the general approach described above, WSSDA made several updates to the model policy and procedure. Rather than list all those changes, here are a few key updates for school districts to be aware of:
- The term “corrective action” was added to the definitions section of the procedure. The new term recognizes that not all responses to student behavior constitute discipline.
- The term “discretionary discipline” was updated to include examples of disciplinary action and to clarify that discretionary discipline doesn’t include classroom management strategies—such as peer mediation, restorative justice,
or social skills instruction.
- The term “other forms of discipline” has been removed as a defined term from the procedure. School districts are no longer required to attempt or consider other forms of discipline before suspending or expelling students.
- The section regarding conditions and limitations for long-term suspensions and expulsions has been updated to reflect rule changes that reduce distinctions between the two. More on that below.
Reducing the Differences Between Long-Term Suspensions and Expulsions
Under the old rules
Previously, long-term suspensions and expulsions were distinguished in three ways.
First, a school district could long-term suspend a student if they engaged in a nondiscretionary discipline violation and the district determined that the student would pose an imminent danger or would pose an imminent threat
of material and substantial disruption of the educational process if they returned to school before completing a long-term suspension. A school district could expel a student if they engaged in a nondiscretionary discipline violation and
the district determined the student would pose an imminent danger if they returned to school before completing the expulsion.
In short, long-term suspensions were allowed when a student either posed an imminent danger or posed an imminent threat of material and substantial disruption. Expulsions were allowed only if a student posed an imminent danger.
Second, long-term suspensions could not go beyond the school year. For example, if a student were long-term suspended at the beginning of May, their suspension would have to end when the school year ended. Expulsions, on the other hand, could go beyond
the school year. A student could be expelled in May, and the expulsion could continue into the next school year.
Third, principals could petition to have an expulsion extend beyond the academic term limitation. If a student had been expelled for 90 school days, a principal could petition the superintendent to extend the expulsion beyond those 90 days. There was
no option to extend a long-term suspension.
Under the new rules
Long-term suspensions and expulsions are no longer distinguished by the first two ways identified above. A school district can only long-term suspend a student if the student engaged in a non-discretionary discipline violation and the district determines
the student will pose an imminent danger if returned to school before completing the long-term suspension. The district can no longer rely on the student posing an imminent threat of material and substantial disruption, just like with expulsions.
Additionally, expulsions can no longer go beyond the school year, just like long-term suspensions.
There’s only one way that long-term suspensions and expulsions are still different: a principal can still petition to extend an expulsion beyond the academic term limitation but can’t do so for long-term suspensions. Otherwise,
they’re the same. This is a notable change to the rules that school districts must learn to navigate this school year.
Discipline Matrix Updates
WSSDA has also updated its example discipline matrix. Key updates include the following:
- A new behavioral violation, “Felony violent offense,” has been added to the matrix. This category covers violent offenses identified under RCW 9.94A.030(58) that were not specifically addressed under the previous version of the matrix.
- The matrix explains how the range of potential responses, especially for Type One Behavioral Violations, is meant to address the first time a student engages in the behavioral violation but doesn’t necessarily preclude a higher level of discipline
for subsequent violations. For example, a school district shouldn’t short-term suspend a student who engages in plagiarism for the first time. But if the student plagiarizes again, the district should have the flexibility to short-term suspend
the student if the circumstances warrant it.
- The matrix clarifies when a behavioral violation that generally wouldn’t warrant a long-term suspension or expulsion might do so in certain situations. There may be situations when, for example, a student’s sexual harassment might adversely
impact the health or safety of other students and staff and pose an imminent danger. The matrix acknowledges those types of situations.
These updates are intended to help school districts align practice with the new rules while maintaining flexibility to address student behavior appropriately and fairly.
Reminder: WSSDA has created a sample student discipline policy and a guide, including an example chart, to help school districts develop their own rules for student behavior. Districts can choose to use WSSDA’s model policies as they are and be confident they are following the law. However, districts are not required to copy everything exactly. School districts can modify the model policies to fit the specific needs of their community. The main requirement is that board policies still follow the basic rules set out in the relevant state regulations. [See WAC 392.400.110(1)(m)].
Roz's Updates on Student Discipline Policies