Behavior Support Process

The Behavior Support process developed pursuant to the

Improved Student Learning Environment and Discipline Act of
1999 "shall be designed to create the expectation that the
process of disciplining students will include due consideration, as
appropriate in light of the severity of the behavioral problem, of
student support services that may help the student address
behavioral problems and that may be available through the
school, the school system, other public entities, or community
organizations." [O.C.G.A. 20-2-735 (c)]

Parental Involvement Process

Safe, orderly high achieving schools require the collaboration and
support of students, staff, parents, and the community.
Improving Student Learning Environment and Discipline Act of
1999 requires that school systems develop a plan to involve
parents in the creation and maintenance of a safe and orderly
school environment which positively impacts the learning
environment.

Progressive Discipline Process

"Progressive discipline processes, shall be designed to create the
expectation that the degree of discipline will be in proportion to
the severity of the behavior leading to the discipline, that the
previous discipline history of the student being disciplined and
other relevant factors will be taken into account, and that all due
process procedures required by federal and state law will be
followed." (O.C.G.A. 20-2-735)
Student Code of Conduct
In addition to academic preparation, schools are responsible for
instilling in our youth the behaviors that are required to sustain
society. To achieve this goal, schools must identify what is
acceptable behavior and what is unacceptable behavior. The
latter would be incomplete without also specifying what
consequences these bring. To a great degree, the level of
effectiveness of this approach determines how successfully a
school can teach academics.

Parental Involvement Process

Safe, orderly high achieving schools require the collaboration and
support of students, staff, parents, and the community.
Improving Student Learning Environment and Discipline Act of
1999 requires that school systems develop a plan to involve
parents in the creation and maintenance of a safe and orderly
school environment which positively impacts the learning
environment.
This parent component may be coordinated with other programs
as a part of the system's/ school's overall plan for involving
parents. Title I, Middle School After-School, and Special
Education are just a few of the educational programs that require
some form of parent involvement.

Guiding Principles
1 There are many parents who want to help their children learn
more, yet they are unable to come to school due to a variety
 of circumstances. This fact should not be taken as evidence
that they do not care about their children.
2 Special efforts must be made to include racial and ethnic
minorities, and non English speaking parents who
traditionally have had negative school experiences.
3 Surveys show that most parents, regardless of their
backgrounds, want guidance from the school on ways to
help their children learn and establish socially acceptable
behavior.
4 Parents look to schools for help even if they do not or cannot
make the first contact themselves.
5 Making parents feel welcome in the school is the first step to
helping them.
Strategies which encourage two-way communication through
personal contacts are extremely valuable. It is important to
provide ongoing opportunities for schools to hear parents
concerns and comments as well as providing them information.

Progressive Discipline Process

Definition
"Progressive discipline processes, shall be designed to create the
expectation that the degree of discipline will be in proportion to
the severity of the behavior leading to the discipline, that the
previous discipline history of the student being disciplined and
other relevant factors will be taken into account, and that all due
process procedures required by federal and state law will be
followed." (O.C.G.A. 20-2-735)
Guiding Principles
6 Each incident of inappropriate behavior is unique in terms of
 situational variables. Similarly, disciplinary action will reflect
consideration of a number of factors specific to the student
involved in the misbehavior.
7 This model strives for a safe and orderly student learning
environment through a systematic process of behavioral
correction. Inappropriate behaviors are followed by
consequences. Inappropriate behaviors are substituted
with those that are consistent with the character traits
identified in Georgia's Character Education Program.
8 Students in violation of the code of conduct cannot be assumed
to have had sufficient instruction and/or practice in utilizing
the particular character trait(s) related to the misbehavior.
As such, disciplinary action should include engaging
students in activities/events that reflect desirable character
traits.
9 Parents are viewed as integral partners to be utilized when
addressing students' misbehavior.
10 Students who engage in continual minor acts of
misconduct, as well as those who engage in even a single
act of more serious misconduct, are considered candidates
for the school's Behavior Support Processes.
Common Elements
1 Disciplinary action shall be in response to alleged violations of
the student code of conduct established and approved by
local board policies.
2 Due process procedures required by federal and state law will
be followed. The degree of disciplinary action will be in
proportion to the severity of the misbehavior. Note: Local
board policies shall require that, upon finding that a student
has committed the offense of bullying for the third time in a
school year, such student shall be assigned to an alternative
school as minimum punishment. (O.C.G.A 20-2-751.4)
3 In most situations, disciplinary action should reflect both a
consequence and an opportunity to be successfully engaged
in related character traits from Georgia's Character
Education Program.
4 It is the policy of this state that it is preferable to reassign
disruptive students to isolated and individual oriented in-
school suspension programs or alternative educational
settings rather than to suspend or expel such students from
school.
Considerations
1 All progressive discipline components noted in this section are
minimum requirements. Additional components may be set
forth by the local board of education.
2 Students are responsible to all those with whom they come in
contact during the school day. As such, progressive
discipline supports granting authority to professional staff
members to impose discipline consequences for minor acts
of misconduct. (Teachers, for example, may require
students to serve a classroom detention after school for a
minor infraction occurring during that class.) However,
when a student is believed to be engaging in a similar
pattern of minor misbehavior, or when a student has
committed a more serious violation of the school rules, the
principal must assume responsibility for the discipline
process.
3 Georgia's Character Education Program reflects character traits
that must be routinely demonstrated and identified by all
stakeholders in the education process.
Utilization of the Behavior Support Process should be considered
for students who repeatedly engage in minor acts of misbehavior
and for those who have engaged in behaviors resulting in Level III,
IV or V discipline.
Student Code of Conduct

Introduction
In addition to academic preparation, schools are responsible for
instilling in our youth the behaviors that are required to sustain
society. To achieve this goal, schools must identify what is
acceptable behavior and what is unacceptable behavior. The
latter would be incomplete without also specifying what
consequences these bring. To a great degree, the level of
effectiveness of this approach determines how successfully a
school can teach academics.
Schools generally define and shape desirable behavior within the
framework of a code of conduct. Consequences and punishments
for unacceptable behaviors are specified in a discipline policy.
Neither by itself is sufficient to completely address the spectrum
of student behavior. Merely stating desired behavior has no
provision for inevitable misconduct; having only a discipline code
dwells on the negative and does not provide a positive direction.
Georgia law (O.G.C.A. 20-2-735) requires that all local boards of
education adopt a student code of conduct including standards of
student behavior and disciplinary action for students who violate
the code of conduct. Georgia law also requires school systems to
provide an opportunity for parental involvement in developing
and updating student codes of conduct.
Definitions
Codes of conduct specify behavior that is accepted or prohibited
in the school as well as in any setting that is related to the school.
Codes of conduct generally state the behavior expected to be
demonstrated by the student.
Discipline policies outline consequences/punishments that will
occur in response to specific misbehavior.
The code of conduct and discipline policies may be separate
documents, but generally are integrated into one document.
Elements of an Effective Code of
Conduct
11 Establish expected behavior. Codes of conduct should
enumerate those behaviors that the student is expected to
demonstrate. These behaviors may become the
system's/school's core values. Generally codes of conduct
state that students are expected to:
12
Demonstrate respect for self and others.
Demonstrate courtesy to others.
Behave in a responsible manner.
Attend class regularly.
Be prepared for class.
Take seriously the course of study.
Dress appropriately.
Cooperate with school officials.
Respect other's property.
Avoid violation of student code of conduct.
13 Encourage parent, community, staff, and student support.
Community and parent/council support of the system and
its discipline code is critical. The system must ask parents,
and may wish to include staff, students, and community
representatives to serve on the team developing the code.
This cross-section of the community will allow for broad
representation of ideas and values. Codes must also specify
how communications with parents and the community will
be maintained throughout the discipline process. Once
completed, the code should be shared with all interested
 parties and any feedback should be given serious
consideration.
14 Are written in easy-to-understand terms. Write codes in
clear and concise language identifying unacceptable
behavior and specify the consequence that will be
administered for engaging in the behavior.
15 Clear and concise codes are essential for understanding and
support of an orderly school by the community and parents.
Clear and concise codes also help teachers and other school
personnel who are responsible for administering them to
act swiftly and with authority. An example of a code
statement is as follows:
Behavior: Destruction of school property.
Consequence: Parent conference; After-school detention;
Assignment to In-School Suspension.
Student codes of conduct/discipline policies shall identify
consequences to address specific misbehavior as
specified by law (O.C.G.A. 20-2-751.5).
16 Include consequences for unacceptable behaviors, as
defined by the local system, from minor to severe. Schools
must facilitate the development of self-discipline in
students. Neglecting to address minor unacceptable
behaviors such as rudeness and other disruptive actions
may lead to more serious behaviors. Codes that focus on
one or the other may undermine the development of self-
discipline in students. For schools to maintain a safe and
orderly environment, systems must handle the full range of
unacceptable behaviors.
17 Match consequences with the severity of the misbehavior.
Codes should list separately minor and severe misbehavior
with the resulting disciplinary action. Codes constructed in
this format allow students to immediately identify the
range of actions, from loss of privileges to expulsion, that
 may result from misbehavior.
18 Require prompt removal of dangerous and chronically
disruptive students from the learning environment. Georgia
law authorizes teachers to remove from his or her
classroom any student who repeatedly or substantially
interferes with the teacher's ability to communicate
effectively with the students in the class or with the ability
of the other students to learn. When the student's behavior
violates the code of conduct, steps are outlined as to the
procedure schools must use to notify parents and obtain
appropriate placement of the student. Appropriate
placement may range from suspension to participation in an
alternative school.
19 Provide for the annual review and updating of the code of
conduct. Based on the statistical data collected regarding
discipline, the school should review the code to determine if
corrections, additions or deletions are necessary. Data and
feedback of staff, parents/council, and students are critical
to keeping the code of conduct relevant to the student
body. Sharing the data with the community and parents
ensures the perception of a safe and orderly school.
20 Take into account any disability of the student when
addressing misbehavior. All discipline of students with
disabilities must follow the requirements of Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, IDEA, and the Georgia
Special Education rules.