K-12 public school discipline.

26LSO-0088
2026
STATE OF WYOMING
26LSO-0088
Numbered
2.0

HOUSE BILL NO. HB0065

K-12 public school discipline.

Sponsored by: Joint Education Interim Committee

A BILL

for

AN ACT relating to K-12 public school discipline; requiring school district board of trustees to adopt rules or policies; establishing requirements for student discipline; requiring notice to parents and guardians; requiring reporting; making conforming amendments; repealing immunity for the use of corporal discipline; and providing for an effective date.

Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Wyoming:

Section 1.

W.S. 21
‑
4
‑
308(a) and by creating new subsections (d) through (m) is amended to read:

21
‑
4
‑
308.

Disciplinary measures; required rules and policies; duties of school district boards of trustees and school district employees; reporting requirements.

(a)

Each board of trustees in each school district within the state
may
shall

adopt rules
or policies
for
reasonable forms of punishment and disciplinary measures.

Subject to such rules, teachers, principals, and superintendents in such
discipline of students enrolled in a school
district
.

may impose reasonable forms of punishment and disciplinary measures for insubordination, disobedience, and other misconduct.
The rules or policies shall:

(i)

Provide school district employees with authority to enforce school and district behavior rules and policies applicable to students placed under their supervision by the school principal or the principal's designated representative to ensure all students have the opportunity to learn on school district property and ensure the safety of students and school district personnel. The rules or policies shall provide school district employees with authority to take any of the following actions to ensure the safety of students and school district employees and to maintain the opportunity for all students to learn:

(A)

Enforce classroom management rules or policies adopted pursuant to this subsection, including policies or rules adopted for the use of cellular phones, smart watches, tablets, computers and all other electronic devices;

(B)

Discuss behavior and disciplinary issues regarding a student with the student's parent or guardian. The school district may make exceptions to the requirements of this subdivision necessary to comply with any applicable state or federal laws;

(C)

Enforce consequences in response to student misconduct that violates the rules or policies adopted pursuant to this section or a student code of conduct adopted by a school district that may include any of the following:

(I)

Removal of violent, abusive, uncontrollable or disruptive students from the area of disruption on school district property. Reasonable force may be used by school district employees to remove a student from the area of disruption on school district property to prevent injury of the student or others or to ensure the safety of students and school district employees. Any use of reasonable force to remove a student shall comply with rules governing seclusion and restraint required pursuant to W.S. 21
‑
2
‑
202(a)(xxxii);

(II)

Referral to the school principal or school district superintendent for behavioral modification or imposition of consequences pursuant to subsection (d) of this section. If a student is removed pursuant to subdivision (I) of this subparagraph, prior to the imposition of any behavioral modification or consequences pursuant to subsection (d) of this section, the school principal or the school district superintendent shall consult with the employee that removed the student to discuss recommended consequences. If the final consequences or punishments imposed by the school principal or the school district superintendent pursuant to subsection (d) of this section differ from those recommended by the employee that removed the student, written notice shall be provided by the school district to the removing employee. The employee shall also be informed of all actions taken to address the student's behavior.

(ii)

For purposes of this section, "school district property" means any property owned or leased by a school district, including classrooms, property where any school district or school sponsored activities take place, as defined by W.S. 21
‑
3
‑
137(a)(v), regardless of location, and transportation to or from school sponsored activities.

(d)

Consequences imposed under this section by the school principal, the school district superintendent or the board of trustees may include the following:

(i)

If a student is removed from a classroom, placement in an alternative classroom. No student removed from a class shall be returned to the class from which the student was removed without the written consent of the classroom teacher;

(ii)

In
‑
school suspension;

(iii)

Exclusion from participation in, or attendance at, school or district sponsored events and activities, including extracurricular or cocurricular activities;

(iv)

Suspension or expulsion in accordance with W.S. 21
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4
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305 and 21
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4
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306.

(e)

School district employees that request assistance in enforcement of actions authorized pursuant to paragraph (a)(i) of this section shall receive assistance, as soon as reasonably practical, from other school district personnel, including the school principal.

(f)

Each school district shall provide ongoing, high quality and district
‑
funded professional development to ensure teachers and staff have the ability to provide students with a high quality, adequate education in kindergarten through grade twelve (12). Each school district shall ensure teachers and staff have input on the design and implementation of the professional development required pursuant to this subsection.

(g)

Any school district employee who knows, or has reasonable suspicion to believe, that a person has committed, or may commit, a violent crime on school property shall report the information to the school principal and the school district superintendent. If the report is made in good faith, the principal and superintendent shall defend and support the actions of the reporting employee.

(h)

The school district board of trustees shall take reasonable steps to ensure the safety of students and school district employees when physical violence is likely to occur on school district property.

(j)

Notwithstanding any other provision of law, a teacher who acts in a manner consistent with this section, applicable school district and board of trustees policies, and rules of the state board of education shall not be subject to professional disciplinary proceedings, reprimand, or adverse employment actions.

(k)

The school district superintendent or school principal shall provide written notice to the student's parent or guardian of any action taken under this section and shall consult with and involve the student's parent or guardian in the imposition of any consequence imposed pursuant to this section.

(m)

The following student discipline reports shall maintain the confidentiality of individual students. All data reported pursuant to this subsection shall be de
‑
identified and shall not include personally identifiable student information:

(i)

Not later than June 15 of each year, each school shall report major student disciplinary actions imposed in the preceding school year to the school district board of trustees;

(ii)

Not later than July 15 of each year, the board of trustees shall consolidate the information submitted pursuant to paragraph (i) of this subsection and submit the information to the department of education;

(iii)

Not later than August 15 of each year, the department of education shall submit a report to the joint education interim committee summarizing the information received pursuant to paragraph (ii) of this subsection.

Section 2
.

W.S. 21
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4
‑
308(b) is repealed.

Section 3.

Not later than August 1, 2026, each school district shall adopt policies or rules as required by W.S. 21
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4
‑
308(a) as amended by section 1 of this act.

Section 4.

This act is effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law as provided by Article 4, Section 8 of the Wyoming Constitution
.

(END)

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HB0065