Connecticut — school discipline
- The lines the state draws
- The statute defines each removal by its own terms. "“Removal” means an exclusion from a classroom for all or part of a single class period, provided such exclusion shall not extend beyond ninety minutes." "“In-school suspension” means an exclusion from regular classroom activity for no more than five consecutive school days, but not exclusion from school". "“Suspension” means an exclusion from school privileges or from transportation services only, provided such exclusion shall not extend beyond the end of the school year in which such suspension was imposed." "“Expulsion” means an exclusion from school privileges for more than ten consecutive school days and shall be deemed to include, but not be limited to, exclusion from the school to which such pupil was assigned at the time such disciplinary action was taken, provided such exclusion shall not extend beyond a period of one calendar year." (§10-233a(b)-(e)) On emergency: "“Emergency” means a situation under which the continued presence of the pupil in school poses such a danger to persons or property or such a disruption of the educational process that a hearing may be delayed until a time as soon after the exclusion of such pupil as possible." (§10-233a(f))
- Offices and appeal bodies in these sources
- Suspension and expulsion decisions are made by "any local or regional board of education" or, for expulsion, "the impartial hearing board established pursuant to subsection (b) of this section" — a body of "one or more persons" a board or boards may establish, provided "No member of any such board or boards shall be a member of the hearing board." (§10-233d(a)(1), (b)) Readmission after expulsion is "at the discretion of the local or regional board of education." Though "The board of education may delegate authority for readmission decisions to the superintendent of schools for the school district." "Readmission decisions shall not be subject to appeal to Superior Court." (§10-233d(j))
No state office, phone number, or email for parents appears in the sources; that absence is the finding. - Sources last checked
- Oct 25, 2026
Reproduced from the state's own statutes quoted below: potentially relevant official sources, not a determination of which one governs any situation.
This page assembles what Connecticut publishes in statute about K-12 school discipline: who may remove a student and how, the notice and hearing the statute requires, what continues during a removal, where the appeal routes run, and, because the statute assigns some of the detail to each local or regional board of education, a map of the questions answered only in a district's own publicized policy. The fullest single statement runs across Sections 10-233a through 10-233f. Connecticut's own vocabulary appears throughout: the local or regional board of education, the impartial hearing board, the cumulative educational record, and the planning and placement team. District publicized policies add procedural detail this page does not carry; the delegation map below points at exactly those questions. For a student with an IEP or Section 504 plan, the disability layer lives on this site's Connecticut special education page. Confirm applicability with the district and the agency. All dates on this page are quoted from the sources, not a deadline calculation performed for you.
The framework, as the state writes it
Removal by teacher (§10-233b). "Any local or regional board of education may authorize teachers in its employ to remove a pupil from class when such pupil deliberately causes a serious disruption of the educational process within the classroom, provided no pupil shall be removed from class more than six times in any school year nor more than twice in one week unless such pupil is referred to the building principal or such principal's designee and granted an informal hearing in accordance with the provisions of section 10-233c." The teacher "shall immediately inform the building principal or such principal's designee as to the name of the pupil against whom such disciplinary action was taken and the reason therefor." (§10-233b(b))
Suspension (§10-233c(a)). A board "may authorize the administration of the schools under its direction to suspend from school privileges a pupil whose conduct on school grounds or at a school sponsored activity is violative of a publicized policy of such board or is seriously disruptive of the educational process or endangers persons or property or whose conduct off school grounds is violative of such policy and is seriously disruptive of the educational process." A board may separately "authorize the administration to suspend transportation services for a pupil whose conduct while awaiting or receiving transportation to and from school endangers persons or property or is violative of a publicized policy of such board." Since July 1, 2015, "all suspensions pursuant to this section shall be in-school suspensions," except a board may authorize an out-of-school suspension for grades three to twelve on specified danger or disciplinary-history findings, or for grades preschool to two on a finding that the conduct "causes physical harm" plus trauma-informed services and consideration of a special-education evaluation. (§10-233c(g))
Suspension length limits. "no pupil shall be suspended more than ten times or a total of fifty days in one school year, whichever results in fewer days of exclusion, unless such pupil is granted a formal hearing pursuant to sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and section 4-181a." (§10-233c(a)) "An out-of-school suspension imposed under subdivision (1) of this subsection shall not exceed ten school days, and an out-of-school suspension imposed under subdivision (2) of this subsection shall not exceed five school days." (§10-233c(g))
Expulsion (§10-233d(a)(1)). A board, "at a meeting at which three or more members of such board are present, or the impartial hearing board" it establishes, may expel a pupil in grades three to twelve for the same kind of conduct that supports suspension, "provided a majority of the board members sitting in the expulsion hearing vote to expel and that at least three affirmative votes for expulsion are cast."
Mandatory expulsion for weapons and drugs (§10-233d(a)(2)). "Expulsion proceedings pursuant to this section, except as provided in subsection (i) of this section, shall be required for any pupil in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, whenever there is reason to believe that any pupil" possessed a firearm or deadly weapon on school grounds or at a school-sponsored activity, possessed or used such a weapon off school grounds in commission of a crime, or offered a controlled substance for sale or distribution on or off school grounds. "Such a pupil shall be expelled for one calendar year" if the board or hearing board so finds, "provided the board of education or the hearing board may modify the period of expulsion for a pupil on a case-by-case basis".
In-school suspension and reassignment (§10-233f). A board "may authorize the administration of schools under its direction to impose an in-school suspension on any pupil whose conduct endangers persons or property or is seriously disruptive of the educational process, or is violative of a publicized policy of such board." Placement is subject to a cap of "fifteen times or a total of fifty days in one school year, whichever results in fewer days of exclusion." A board "may reassign a pupil to a regular classroom program in a different school in the school district and such reassignment shall not constitute a suspension pursuant to section 10-233c, or an expulsion pursuant to section 10-233d." (§10-233f(b))
Students requiring special education (§10-233d(i)). "Prior to conducting an expulsion hearing for a child requiring special education and related services described in subparagraph (A) of subdivision (5) of section 10-76a, a planning and placement team shall convene to determine whether the misconduct was caused by the child's disability. If it is determined that the misconduct was caused by the child's disability, the child shall not be expelled. The planning and placement team shall reevaluate the child for the purpose of modifying the child's individualized education program to address the misconduct and to ensure the safety of other children and staff in the school." The fuller disability-discipline process lives on this site's Connecticut special education page; it is not restated here.
No agency guidance document on student discipline published by the Connecticut State Department of Education was located in this review; that absence is the finding.
The published process
- Notice and hearing before exclusion
- "Unless an emergency exists, no pupil shall be suspended without an informal hearing by the administration, at which such pupil shall be informed of the reasons for the disciplinary action and given an opportunity to explain the situation". Separately: "If an emergency situation exists, such hearing shall be held as soon after the suspension as possible." (§10-233c(a)) For expulsion, "Unless an emergency exists, no pupil shall be expelled without a formal hearing held pursuant to sections 4-176e to 4-180a, inclusive, and section 4-181a, provided whenever such pupil is a minor, the notice required by section 4-177 and section 4-180 shall also be given to the parents or guardian of the pupil at least five business days before such hearing, not including the day of such hearing." The notice "shall include information concerning the parent's or guardian's and the pupil's legal rights and concerning legal services provided free of charge or at a reduced rate that are available locally and how to access such services. An attorney or other advocate may represent any pupil subject to expulsion proceedings. The parent or guardian of the pupil shall have the right to have the expulsion hearing postponed for up to one week to allow time to obtain representation". (§10-233d(a)(3)) Beyond the hearings tied to a specific disciplinary action, "Each local or regional board of education shall inform all pupils within its jurisdiction and their parents, guardians and surrogate parents, if appointed pursuant to section 10-94g, at least annually, of the board policies governing student conduct and school discipline." "Each board shall further provide an effective means of notifying the parents, guardian or surrogate parent, if appointed, of any minor pupil against whom the disciplinary action authorized by the provisions of this section and sections 10-233a to 10-233d, inclusive, has been taken. Such notice shall be given within twenty-four hours of the time such pupil has been excluded." (§10-233e)
- Services during exclusion
- "Any pupil who is suspended shall be given an opportunity to complete any classwork including, but not limited to, examinations which such pupil missed during the period of suspension." (§10-233c(d)) For expulsion, "Any pupil under sixteen years of age who is expelled shall be offered an alternative educational opportunity, which shall be (1) alternative education, as defined by section 10-74j, with an individualized learning plan, if such board provides such alternative education, or (2) in accordance with the standards adopted by the State Board of Education, pursuant to section 10-233o, during the period of expulsion". "Any pupil expelled for the first time who is between the ages of sixteen and eighteen and who wishes to continue such pupil's education shall be offered such an alternative educational opportunity if such pupil complies with conditions established by such pupil's local or regional board of education." (§10-233d(d)) For a child requiring special education, "whenever a child requiring such special education and related services is expelled, an alternative educational opportunity, consistent with such child's educational needs shall be provided during the period of expulsion." (§10-233d(i))
- The record made, and the appeal route
- "Whenever a pupil is suspended pursuant to the provisions of this section, notice of the suspension and the conduct for which the pupil was suspended shall be included on the pupil's cumulative educational record." (§10-233c(f)) "Whenever a pupil is expelled pursuant to the provisions of this section, notice of the expulsion and the conduct for which the pupil was expelled shall be included on the pupil's cumulative educational record." (§10-233d(f)) The readmission route after expulsion, delegable to the superintendent and not appealable to Superior Court, is quoted in the docket.
- If the student has an IEP or Section 504 plan
- The disability layer — evaluations, the planning and placement team, manifestation determination, services during removal, and the dispute routes — lives on this site's Connecticut special education page. The discipline statute itself states the manifestation-determination requirement quoted in the framework above. (§10-233d(i))
The four rows above answer the questions an experienced adviser raises first, from the state's own statutes, or record that a question is not answered in them.
Timelines, as stated in the sources
All quoted; none calculated. From Connecticut General Statutes §§ 10-233a to 10-233f as retrieved Sep 4, 2026.
On a teacher removal: "provided such exclusion shall not extend beyond ninety minutes." (§10-233a(b))
On notifying the superintendent after a suspension: "such administration shall not later than twenty-four hours after the suspension notify the superintendent or such superintendent's designee as to the name of the pupil against whom such disciplinary action was taken and the reason therefor." (§10-233c(c))
On the suspension cap: "no pupil shall be suspended more than ten times or a total of fifty days in one school year, whichever results in fewer days of exclusion". (§10-233c(a))
On the in-school suspension cap: "no pupil shall be placed in in-school suspension more than fifteen times or a total of fifty days in one school year, whichever results in fewer days of exclusion." (§10-233f(a))
On expulsion-hearing notice: "at least five business days before such hearing, not including the day of such hearing." (§10-233d(a)(3))
On postponing an expulsion hearing to obtain representation: "up to one week". (§10-233d(a)(3))
On notice of disciplinary action against a minor pupil: "within twenty-four hours of the time such pupil has been excluded." (§10-233e)
On the expulsion term ceiling: "provided such exclusion shall not extend beyond a period of one calendar year." (§10-233a(e))
What any of this means for a particular situation is for the district, the agency, and their processes to determine.
Assigned to district policy by the quoted provision
The statute writes the frame and expressly hands some of the operative detail to each local or regional board of education. Each entry below is a question a district's own documents answer, with the delegating text quoted. No district's publicized policy is captured or quoted here.
Whether teachers may remove pupils from class at all. "Any local or regional board of education may authorize teachers in its employ to remove a pupil from class when such pupil deliberately causes a serious disruption of the educational process". (§10-233b(a))
Whether the administration may suspend pupils, and the publicized policy that conduct is measured against. "Any local or regional board of education may authorize the administration of the schools under its direction to suspend from school privileges a pupil whose conduct on school grounds or at a school sponsored activity is violative of a publicized policy of such board". (§10-233c(a))
The first-time-suspension diversion program. "For any pupil who is suspended for the first time pursuant to this section and who has never been expelled pursuant to section 10-233d, the administration may shorten the length of or waive the suspension period if the pupil successfully completes an administration-specified program and meets any other conditions required by the administration." (§10-233c(e))
The first-time-expulsion diversion program. "For any pupil expelled for the first time pursuant to this section and who has never been suspended pursuant to section 10-233c, except for a pupil who has been expelled based on possession of a firearm or deadly weapon as described in subsection (a) of this section, the local or regional board of education may shorten the length of or waive the expulsion period if the pupil successfully completes a board-specified program and meets any other conditions required by the board." (§10-233d(c)(2))
Whether to establish an impartial hearing board. "For purposes of conducting expulsion hearings as required by subsection (a) of this section, any local or regional board of education or any two or more of such boards in cooperation may establish an impartial hearing board of one or more persons." (§10-233d(b))
Where an in-school suspension is served. "An in-school suspension may be served in the school that the pupil attends, or in any school building under the jurisdiction of the local or regional board of education, as determined by such board." (§10-233c(g))
Readmission after expulsion, and its conditions. The discretion to readmit, the delegation to the superintendent, and the authority to condition readmission "on specified criteria" are quoted in the docket and the framework. (§10-233d(j))
Discretionary expungement based on subsequent conduct. A board may expunge an expulsion notice before graduation where "such pupil has demonstrated to such board that the conduct and behavior of such pupil in the years following such expulsion warrants an expungement." (§10-233d(f)(2)(B))
Records access, as stated in the sources
"Whenever a pupil is suspended pursuant to the provisions of this section, notice of the suspension and the conduct for which the pupil was suspended shall be included on the pupil's cumulative educational record. Such notice shall be expunged from the cumulative educational record by the local or regional board of education if a pupil graduates from high school", or, where the suspension period was shortened or waived, upon graduation or program completion, "whichever is earlier." (§10-233c(f)) For expulsion, the same notation duty applies, and the notice "shall be expunged from the cumulative educational record by the local or regional board of education if a pupil graduates from high school" — except that notice of a grades-nine-to-twelve expulsion based on possession of a firearm or deadly weapon is carved out of that automatic-expungement rule. (§10-233d(f)) Where a pupil withdraws while an expulsion hearing is pending, "notice of the pending expulsion hearing shall be included on the pupil's cumulative educational record". (§10-233d(h)) A right to inspect or a general retention rule for the cumulative educational record itself is not stated in the sections reviewed (§§10-233a to 10-233f were searched); federal records rights under FERPA are not restated here.
Source map
| Document | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 10-233a to 10-233f (Chapter 170, Boards of Education) | cga.ct.gov | current revision, no separate page date; each section's own History line (most recently §10-233d, "P.A. 24-93, S. 12"); retrieved Sep 4, 2026 |
| Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 4-176e to 4-180a and § 4-181a (formal hearing procedure, cited by §10-233c(a) and §10-233d(a)(3)) | cited in §§10-233c(a), 10-233d(a)(3) | capture pending |
| Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-233o (State Board of Education standards for alternative educational opportunity) | cited in §10-233d(d) | capture pending |
| Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-76a(5)(A) (definition of a child requiring special education, cited by §10-233d(i)) | cited in §10-233d(i) | capture pending |
| Connecticut State Department of Education guidance on student discipline | — | not located in this review; capture pending |
| District publicized policies on student conduct and discipline | each local or regional board of education, per §§10-233b through 10-233f | never captured; see the delegation map |
Change log
Aug 30, 2026 · Baseline page created (discipline-layer breadth sprint). Captured first-party under recipe tools/recipes/connecticut-discipline.json: Chapter 170 of the Connecticut General Statutes, narrowed by the recipe's element range to Sections 10-233a through 10-233f, from the General Assembly's site. Findings recorded: (1) the chapter page states no separate revision date; each section's own History note is recorded as its date; (2) the readmission route after expulsion may be delegated from the board to the superintendent and is not appealable to Superior Court; (3) no state office or contact for parents appears in the sources. Capture note: www.cga.ct.gov serves its leaf certificate without the intermediate that signs it, so the fetch is authenticated against a pinned Go Daddy bundle rather than the system trust store; the whole chapter (roughly 678 KB) was fetched and then narrowed to the six-section run this page rests on. Not yet built, pending the deepening pass: sections 01–02 (framework, hoisted rows, timelines), the district delegation map, and records access.
Sep 4, 2026 · Deepened to full depth (discipline-layer deepening pass). Re-verified the source through the same recipe by curl; confirmed byte-identical to the Aug 30, 2026 capture. Built section 01 (the framework route by route: removal by teacher, suspension and its 2015 in-school-suspension default with out-of-school exceptions, suspension length limits, expulsion, the mandatory weapons-and-drugs expulsion, in-school suspension and reassignment, and the manifestation-determination provision this general discipline statute states directly for children requiring special education), section 02's four hoisted rows, a timelines block, a district delegation map with eight entries, and a records-access section built substantially from the cumulative-educational-record notation and expungement rules in §§10-233c(f) and 10-233d(f)-(h). Findings recorded rather than smoothed: (1) §10-233d(i) states its own manifestation-determination procedure — a planning and placement team convened before an expulsion hearing for a child requiring special education — inside the general discipline statute itself, distinct from and in addition to the fuller IDEA procedural safeguards on this site's special education page, which this page links to rather than restates; (2) the sections state a rich set of cumulative-educational-record notation and expungement rules but no general right to inspect or retain the record, and that absence is stated rather than inferred from the expungement rules; (3) four cross-referenced provisions — Conn. Gen. Stat. §§ 4-176e to 4-181a (the formal hearing procedure both suspension and expulsion hearings are conducted under), § 10-233o (State Board standards for alternative educational opportunity), and § 10-76a(5)(A) (the special-education definition §10-233d(i) uses) — are named but not separately captured, and are listed in the source map as capture pending; (4) no agency guidance document on student discipline published by the Connecticut State Department of Education was located in this review. The captured chapter text also carries case-citation annotations ("Cited. 193 C. 93." and similar) and one paragraph summarizing a court's construction of "seriously disruptive of the educational process"; consistent with this module's no-case-law rule, none of that annotation material is quoted or relied upon anywhere on this page. Internet Archive captures: to be added. Reviewer: Carrie Schluter. Corrections on the record in this log: hello@fieldassembly.net.
Oct 6, 2026 · Internet Archive captures recorded. Captures requested on 2026-09-06 by an automated capture pass and recorded this date; no human review is claimed for this entry. No quotation, date, finding or link above was changed by it. Each capture below was requested through Save Page Now and then confirmed to play back. Captures added: Chapter 170 → https://web.archive.org/web/20260906123918/https://www.cga.ct.gov/current/pub/chap_170.htm. Corrections on the record in this log: hello@fieldassembly.net.