Procedures for Recording Suspensions
Lowell Middlesex Academy Charter School (LMACS) maintains procedures for accurately recording all student suspensions in accordance with state and federal requirements.
All suspensions, including in-school and out-of-school suspensions, are documented in the school’s student information system. Records include:
- Student name and identifying information
- Date(s) and duration of suspension
- Type of suspension (in-school or out-of-school)
- Description of the incident and reason for suspension
For students with disabilities, LMACS tracks the cumulative number of suspension days to ensure compliance with special education discipline protections, including the ten (10) day threshold.
Suspension data is reviewed by school administration and relevant staff to monitor patterns of behavior, ensure accurate recordkeeping, and support decision-making regarding interventions and student supports.
Procedures for Suspension Up to 10 Days and After 10 Days
LMACS follows all state and federal requirements regarding the suspension of students, including students with disabilities.
Suspensions Up to 10 School Days
For suspensions of up to ten (10) school days in a school year:
- Students are subject to the school’s standard disciplinary procedures
- Parents/guardians are notified of the suspension and the reason for the disciplinary action
- Students are provided the opportunity to make academic progress during the period of suspension
Suspensions Exceeding 10 School Days
When a suspension results in more than ten (10) cumulative school days in a school year:
- The school tracks cumulative days of removal for students with disabilities
- The IEP Team determines whether the removals constitute a change of placement
- If a change of placement is determined, the school conducts a manifestation determination review (MDR)
LMACS ensures that all procedural safeguards are followed and that students with disabilities continue to receive access to educational services necessary to make progress.
Procedures for Suspension of Students with Disabilities Exceeding 10 Days
LMACS follows all state and federal requirements when suspensions exceed ten (10) consecutive school days or when a pattern of removals results in more than ten (10) cumulative days in a school year.
Change of Placement
A suspension that exceeds ten (10) consecutive school days, or a series of suspensions that constitute a pattern of removal, is considered a change of placement. LMACS tracks cumulative days of removal and determines whether a pattern exists.
Responsibilities of the IEP Team
Within ten (10) school days of a decision to change placement due to disciplinary action, the IEP Team, including the parent and relevant school personnel, convenes to conduct a manifestation determination review.
The Team reviews all relevant information, including:
- The student’s IEP
- Teacher observations
- Evaluation and diagnostic results
- Information provided by the parent
The Team determines:
- Whether the conduct was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to the student’s disability; or
- Whether the conduct was the direct result of the school’s failure to implement the IEP
If the behavior is a manifestation of the disability:
- A Functional Behavioral Assessment (FBA) is conducted or reviewed
- A Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP) is developed or revised as needed
- The student returns to the original placement unless otherwise agreed or required
If the behavior is not a manifestation of the disability:
- The student may be disciplined in the same manner as students without disabilities
- The school ensures that educational services continue so the student can:
- Participate in the general curriculum
- Progress toward IEP goals
Responsibilities of the School
LMACS ensures that:
- Parents are notified of disciplinary decisions and provided with procedural safeguards
- Educational services are provided beginning on the eleventh (11th) day of removal
- Services enable the student to continue to participate in the general curriculum and progress toward IEP goals
- Behavioral supports, including FBAs and BIPs, are implemented as appropriate
Interim Alternative Educational Setting (IAES)
LMACS may place a student in an interim alternative educational setting for up to forty-five (45) school days:
- In cases involving weapons, illegal drugs, or serious bodily injury
- When ordered by a hearing officer due to safety concerns
The interim placement allows the student to:
- Continue participation in the general curriculum
- Receive services aligned with the IEP
- Receive supports to address the behavior
Procedural Requirements Applied to Students Not Yet Determined to Be Eligible for Special Education
LMACS ensures that students who have not yet been determined eligible for special education may be entitled to protections if the school had prior knowledge that the student may have a disability.
LMACS is considered to have prior knowledge if:
- The parent has expressed concern in writing to supervisory or administrative personnel, or a teacher
- The parent has requested an evaluation
- School staff have expressed specific concerns about a pattern of behavior or performance to supervisory personnel
If the school had prior knowledge:
- The student is afforded the same protections as a student with a disability
- A manifestation determination review is conducted
- Educational services are provided
- An evaluation is initiated, if not already completed
If the school did not have prior knowledge:
- The student may be subject to standard disciplinary procedures
- If a request for evaluation is made, the evaluation is conducted in an expedited manner
Until the evaluation is completed, the student remains in the educational placement determined by school authorities, which may include suspension or expulsion.