Louisiana — school discipline
- The lines the state draws
- The statute defines its own terms. "Unless otherwise defined as a permanent expulsion and except as otherwise provided by Subsections B and C of this Section," the term "expulsion" "shall be defined as a removal from all regular school settings for a period of not less than one school semester." (§416(A)(2)(c)) "In-school suspension" "means removing a student from his normal classroom setting but maintaining him under supervision within the school." (§416(A)(2)(e)(i)) "Out-of-school suspension" "means the removal of a student from all classes of instruction on public school grounds and all other school-sponsored activities." (§416(A)(2)(f)) Ten school days marks a further line: a student "who is expelled or suspended for longer than ten days shall be provided with academic instruction at an alternative setting in accordance with R.S. 17:416.2" (§416(C)(1)), and R.S. 17:416.2 states "The provisions of this Section shall not be applicable to any student suspended for up to ten days." (§416.2(G)) On emergency removal: "A student whose presence in or about a school poses a continued danger to any person or property or an ongoing threat of disruption to the academic process shall be immediately removed from the school premises without the benefit of the procedure described in this Item; however, the necessary procedure shall follow as soon as is practicable." (§416(A)(3)(b)(i))
- Offices and appeal bodies in these sources
- Suspension: "Any parent or legal guardian of a student suspended shall have the right to appeal to the local superintendent of schools or his designee, who shall conduct a hearing on the merits." (§416(A)(3)(c)) Expulsion: "a hearing shall be conducted by the superintendent or his designee within fifteen school days" (§416(C)(1)); the parent may then "submit a request to the city, parish, or other local public school board to review the findings of the superintendent or his designee" (§416(C)(4)); and beyond the board: "The parent or legal guardian of the student who has been recommended for expulsion pursuant to this Section may, within ten school days, appeal to the district court for the parish in which the student's school is located". (§416(C)(5)(a))
No state office, phone number, or email for parents appears in the sources; that absence is the finding. - Sources last checked
- Oct 27, 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 Louisiana 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 much of the detail to each local school board, a map of the questions answered only in a district's own code of conduct. The fullest single statement is R.S. 17:416, read with R.S. 17:416.2 on alternative education programs for suspended and expelled students. Louisiana's own vocabulary appears throughout: the city, parish, or other local public school board; the code of conduct; the model master discipline plan; and the alternative education program. District codes of conduct 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 Louisiana 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 (§416(A)(1)(c)). "When a student's behavior prevents the orderly instruction of other students or poses an immediate threat to the safety or physical well-being of any student or teacher or when a student violates the school's code of conduct, the teacher shall have the student immediately removed from his classroom and placed in the custody of the principal or his designee." A grade-based cooling-off period follows: "A student in kindergarten through grade five removed from a class pursuant to this Subparagraph shall not be permitted to return to the class for at least thirty minutes unless agreed to by the teacher initiating the disciplinary action. A student in grades six through twelve removed from a class pursuant to this Subparagraph shall not be permitted to return to the class during the same class period unless agreed to by the teacher initiating the disciplinary action."
Suspension (§416(A)(3)(a)). "A school principal may suspend from school or suspend from riding on any school bus any student who" engages in conduct the statute lists — willful disobedience, disrespect toward staff, use of tobacco or possession of alcohol or a controlled substance, carrying weapons, and other enumerated grounds ending with "Commits any other serious offense." The notice and hearing that must precede a suspension are quoted in section 02 below.
Mandatory suspension and expulsion referral for weapons and drugs (§416(B)(1)(b)). "the principal or his designee shall immediately suspend a student who is found carrying or possessing a firearm or another dangerous instrumentality other than a knife, or who possesses, distributes, sells, gives, or loans any controlled dangerous substance governed by the Uniform Controlled Dangerous Substances Law, in any form. The principal or his designee shall immediately recommend the student's expulsion in accordance with Subsection C of this Section." A parallel rule applies by blade length to knives. (§416(B)(1)(b)(ii))
Escalation after repeated suspensions (§416(B)(2)). "Any student who has been suspended on three occasions for committing any of the offenses enumerated in this Subsection or Subsection C of this Section during the same school year shall, upon committing the fourth such offense, be expelled from all of the public schools of the city, parish, or other local public school system wherein he resided until the beginning of the next regular school year, and the student's reinstatement shall be subject to the review and approval of the city, parish, or other local public school board."
Expulsion (§416(C)). "Upon the recommendation by a principal for the expulsion of any student as authorized by Subsection B of this Section or a school board's code of conduct, a hearing shall be conducted by the superintendent or his designee within fifteen school days to determine the facts of the case and make a finding of whether or not the student is guilty of conduct warranting a recommendation of expulsion." An enhanced mandatory term applies to certain grades six through twelve offenses: a student "found guilty of being in possession of a firearm, a knife with a blade equal to or in excess of two and one-half inches in length, or any illegal narcotic, drug, or other controlled substance on school property, on a school bus, or at a school-sponsored event, pursuant to a hearing as provided for by Paragraph (1) of this Subsection, shall be expelled from school for a minimum period of two complete school semesters and shall be referred to the district attorney for appropriate action." (§416(C)(2)(a)(i))
Felony conviction or juvenile adjudication (§416(D)(1)). "The conviction of any student of a felony or the incarceration of any student in a juvenile institution for an act which had it been committed by an adult would have constituted a felony may be cause for expulsion of the student for a period of time as determined by the board. The expulsion shall require the vote of two-thirds of the elected members of the school board".
Self-defense exception (§416(H)(1)). "No student shall be disciplined in any manner by the governing authority of a public elementary or secondary school or by any public elementary or secondary school administrator, teacher, or other school employee for the use of force upon another person when it can be reasonably concluded that the use of such force more probably than not was committed solely for the purpose of preventing a forcible offense against the student or a forcible offense provided that the force used shall be reasonable and apparently necessary to prevent such offense." A student "who is the aggressor or who brings on a difficulty cannot claim the right provided by this Subsection to defend himself." (§416(H)(2))
Administrator recusal (§416(I)(1)). "Any public school administrator and any administrator's designee who is required to make a recommendation, decide an issue, or take action in a matter involving the discipline of a student shall both recuse themselves from doing so whenever a member of the immediate family of the school administrator or of the administrator's designee is involved in any manner in the recommendation to be made, the issue to be decided, or the action to be taken."
Younger students and uniform violations (§416(J)). "a student enrolled in grades prekindergarten through five shall not be suspended or expelled from school or suspended from riding on any school bus for a uniform violation that is not tied to willful disregard of school policies."
Alternative education programs during removal (§416.2(A)(1)). "Any student suspended or expelled from school pursuant to the provisions of R.S. 17:416, shall remain under the supervision of the governing authority of the city, parish, or other local public school system taking such action using alternative education programs for suspended and expelled students. Alternative education programs of any local public school shall be approved by the State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education".
No agency guidance document on student discipline published by the Louisiana Department of Education was located in this review; that absence is the finding.
The published process
- Notice and hearing before exclusion
- "Prior to any out-of-school suspension, assignment to alternative placement, or expulsion, the school principal or his designee shall advise the student in question of the particular misconduct of which he is accused as well as the basis for such accusation, and the student shall be given an opportunity at that time to explain his version of the facts to the school principal or his designee." The principal must also contact the parent "giving notice of the out-of-school suspension, assignment to alternative placement, or expulsion, the reasons therefor, and establishing a date and time for a conference with the principal or his designee as a requirement for readmitting the student. In the case of expulsion, the contact with the parent or guardian shall include a certified letter." (§416(A)(3)(b)(i)) Before an expulsion hearing, "The school board shall provide written notice of the hearing to the student and his parent or legal guardian, and such notice shall advise the student and his parent or legal guardian of their rights." At the hearing, "the student may be represented by any person of his choice." (§416(C)(1))
- Services during exclusion
- "A student who is suspended for ten days or fewer shall be assigned school work missed while he is suspended and shall receive the same credit originally available for such work if it is completed satisfactorily and timely as determined by the principal or his designee, upon the recommendation of the student's teacher. A student who is suspended for more than ten days, or is expelled and receives educational services at an alternative school site, shall be assigned work by a certified teacher and shall receive credit for school work if it is completed satisfactorily and timely as determined by the teacher." (§416(A)(3)(e)) Pending an expulsion hearing, "the student shall remain suspended from the school with access to classwork and the opportunity to earn academic credit." A student "who is expelled or suspended for longer than ten days shall be provided with academic instruction at an alternative setting in accordance with R.S. 17:416.2." (§416(C)(1)) R.S. 17:416.2 places that student "under the supervision of the governing authority of the city, parish, or other local public school system taking such action using alternative education programs for suspended and expelled students" (§416.2(A)(1)), a supervision requirement that by its own terms "shall not be applicable to any student suspended for up to ten days." (§416.2(G))
- The record made, and the appeal route
- For suspension, "Any parent or legal guardian of a student suspended shall have the right to appeal to the local superintendent of schools or his designee, who shall conduct a hearing on the merits. The decision of the superintendent of schools on the merits of the case, as well as the term of the out-of-school suspension, shall be final, reserving to the superintendent of schools the right to remit any portion of the time of the out-of-school suspension." (§416(A)(3)(c)) For expulsion, after the superintendent's hearing, "The parent or legal guardian of the student who has been recommended for expulsion pursuant to this Section may, within five days after the decision is rendered, submit a request to the city, parish, or other local public school board to review the findings of the superintendent or his designee at a time set by the school board; otherwise the decision of the superintendent shall be final." (§416(C)(4)) Beyond the board: "The parent or legal guardian of the student who has been recommended for expulsion pursuant to this Section may, within ten school days, appeal to the district court for the parish in which the student's school is located, an adverse ruling of the school board in upholding the action of the superintendent or his designee." (§416(C)(5)(a)) On records made in a transfer, when a previously expelled student seeks admission elsewhere, "the transfer of a student's records by any public school or school system in the state to any other public or nonpublic school or school system shall include information on the dates of any expulsions and the reason or reasons for which the student was expelled." (§416(B)(3)(c))
- If the student has an IEP or Section 504 plan
- The disability layer — evaluations, the IEP team, manifestation determination, services during removal, and the dispute routes — lives on this site's Louisiana special education page. The discipline statute itself states: "The provisions of this Subsection shall not be construed to conflict with any federal or state rules or regulations or other guidelines, including but not limited to those affecting students with exceptionalities as defined in R.S. 17:1941 et seq." (§416(A)(5)) and "In carrying out the provisions of this Section, school employees and administrators shall account for and abide by any relevant provisions contained in the Individualized Education Program, Behavior Intervention Plan, or Section 504 Plan, as well as the general requirements of the federal Individuals with Disabilities Education Act." (§416(A)(6))
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 R.S. 17:416 and 17:416.2 as retrieved Sep 4, 2026.
On the readmission conference: if the parent or legal guardian "fails to attend the required conference within five school days of mailing the certified letter or other contact with the parent, the truancy laws shall become effective." (§416(A)(3)(b)(i))
On the return-to-class cooling-off period: at least "thirty minutes" for kindergarten through grade five, and "during the same class period" for grades six through twelve. (§416(A)(1)(c)(iii))
On the expulsion hearing: "a hearing shall be conducted by the superintendent or his designee within fifteen school days to determine the facts of the case". (§416(C)(1))
On drug-related arrest referral: a student arrested for a controlled-substance offense on school property "shall be referred by the school principal or his designee, within five days after such arrest, for testing or screening by a qualified medical professional". (§416(C)(3)(a))
On the school board review: the parent "may, within five days after the decision is rendered, submit a request to the city, parish, or other local public school board to review the findings of the superintendent or his designee". (§416(C)(4))
On the district court appeal: the parent "may, within ten school days, appeal to the district court for the parish in which the student's school is located". (§416(C)(5)(a))
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 the detail to each city, parish, or other local public school board. Each entry below is a question a district's own documents answer, with the delegating text quoted. No district's code of conduct is captured or quoted here.
Rules implementing the discipline statute. "The governing authority of each public elementary and secondary school shall adopt such rules and regulations as it deems necessary to implement the provisions of this Subsection and of R.S. 17:416.14." (§416(A)(4))
Detention. "Each city, parish, or other local public school board shall adopt rules regarding the implementation of detention." (§416(A)(2)(b)(iv))
In-school suspension. "Each city, parish, or other local public school board shall adopt rules regarding the implementation of in-school suspension." (§416(A)(2)(e)(ii))
The code of conduct itself. "Each city, parish, or other local public school board shall maintain and administer student codes of conduct that meet the minimum requirements of the model master discipline plan as provided in R.S. 17:252. Codes of conduct shall include progressive levels of minor through major infractions and identify corresponding minor through major interventions and consequences." (§416(L))
Virtual instruction discipline. "A city, parish, or other local public school board discipline policy shall clearly define the rules of conduct and expectations of students engaged in virtual instruction, shall provide for notice of such rules and expectations to the parents and guardians of students, shall include clearly defined consequences of conduct, shall be narrowly tailored to address compelling government interests, and shall take into consideration the students' and their families' rights to privacy and other constitutional rights while at home or in a location that is not school property." (§416(K))
Parent intervention sessions after a classroom removal. "Each city, parish, or other local public school board may adopt a policy that requires the parent or legal guardian of a student removed from the classroom pursuant to this Subparagraph to attend after school or Saturday intervention sessions with the student. Such a policy, if adopted, shall be enumerated in the code of conduct". (§416(A)(1)(c)(vi)(bb))
The appeal process itself. "Each school board's code of conduct shall include information detailing the appeal process provided in this Paragraph and Subparagraph (5)(a) of this Subsection." (§416(C)(4))
Records access, as stated in the sources
Where a previously expelled student transfers, "the transfer of a student's records by any public school or school system in the state to any other public or nonpublic school or school system shall include information on the dates of any expulsions and the reason or reasons for which the student was expelled." (§416(B)(3)(c)) Where a court finds a school official acted improperly in a judicial review of an expulsion, the available relief includes "requiring the school board to issue an official apology letter, which shall be provided to the student, his parent, legal guardian, or tutor, and retained in the student's educational records." (§416(C)(5)(b)) Expungement of discipline records is not stated in the sources reviewed (R.S. 17:416 and 17:416.2 were searched). Federal records rights under FERPA are not restated here.
Source map
| Document | Location | Dates |
|---|---|---|
| R.S. 17:416 (Discipline of students; suspension; expulsion) | legis.la.gov | no page date; session-law history ends Acts 2025, No. 497, §1; retrieved Sep 4, 2026 |
| R.S. 17:416.2 (Supervision of suspended or expelled students; alternative education programs) | legis.la.gov | no page date; session-law history ends Acts 2012, No. 831, §§1, 2; retrieved Sep 4, 2026 |
| R.S. 17:416.14 (bullying, cited throughout §416) | cited in §416(A)(1)(b)(ii) and elsewhere | capture pending |
| R.S. 17:252 (model master discipline plan, cited by §416(L)) | cited in §416(L) | capture pending |
| Louisiana Department of Education guidance on student discipline | — | not located in this review; capture pending |
| District codes of conduct | each city, parish, or other local public school board, per §416(A)(4) and (L) | 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/louisiana-discipline.json: R.S. 17:416 and R.S. 17:416.2 from the Legislature's site. Findings recorded: (1) neither section's page prints a revision or effective date; the docket records each section's own session-law history line as its date; (2) suspension appeals run to the local superintendent, and expulsion appeals run from the superintendent to the school board and then to district court — a three-tier route unusual among the states reviewed so far; (3) no state office or contact for parents appears in the sources. Capture note: the Legislature addresses each section by an opaque numeric id in its own URL scheme rather than by section number; both addresses were confirmed to serve their named section alone. 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 both sources through the same recipe by curl; both confirmed byte-identical to the Aug 30, 2026 capture. Built section 01 (the framework route by route: teacher removal, suspension, mandatory suspension and expulsion referral for weapons and drugs, escalation after repeated suspensions, the expulsion hearing, the enhanced mandatory term for certain grades six-through-twelve offenses, felony-based expulsion, the self-defense exception, administrator recusal, and the pre-K-through-five uniform-violation exception), section 02's four hoisted rows, a timelines block, a district delegation map with seven entries, and a records-access section. Findings recorded rather than smoothed: (1) this is among the most detailed discipline statutes reviewed in this layer — a single section (§416) runs to fifteen lettered subsections; the page summarizes its structure rather than quoting every subsection, and several provisions outside the parent-facing process (state reporting duties under Subsections M and O, the transportation-cost exception in §416.2(E)) are neither quoted nor summarized because they do not answer a question this page's specification poses; (2) two statutes named within §416 itself — R.S. 17:416.14 (bullying) and R.S. 17:252 (the model master discipline plan the code of conduct must meet) — are cited repeatedly but not separately captured, and are listed in the source map as capture pending; (3) no agency guidance document on student discipline published by the Louisiana Department of Education was located in this review; (4) expungement of discipline records is not stated in either source. No case law quoted 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: legis.la.gov → https://web.archive.org/web/20260906133235/https://legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=81034; R.S. 17:416 → https://web.archive.org/web/20260906133309/https://www.legis.la.gov/legis/Law.aspx?d=81024. Corrections on the record in this log: hello@fieldassembly.net.