Washington — school discipline

Governing authority stated in the sources

The administrative code, not the statute. WAC Chapter 392-400 (Student Discipline), published in full by the Legislature: the definitions, classroom exclusions, the general conditions on suspension and expulsion, short-term and in-school suspensions, long-term suspensions and expulsions, notice, the appeal route, review and reconsideration, discipline appeal councils, educational services, reengagement, and readmission. Sections carry their own statutory-authority and filing notations; the short-term section ends "[Statutory Authority: RCW 28A.300.046, 28A.600.010, 28A.600.015, and 28A.600.020. WSR 25-13-037, s 392-400-435, filed 6/10/25, effective 7/11/25." — the most recent amendment cited by any state in this layer so far. — WAC 392-400, retrieved Aug 29, 2026

The lines the state draws

Not by a single day count but by grade, by term, and by category. A suspension is "a denial of attendance in response to a behavioral violation from any subject or class, or from any full schedule of subjects or classes, but not including expulsions or emergency removals", and an expulsion is "a denial of admission to the student's current school placement in response to a behavioral violation, subject to the requirements in WAC 392-400-430 through 392-400-480." (WAC 392-400-025) At the short end the caps are cumulative and grade-specific: a district "may not administer a short-term or in-school suspension for a student in kindergarten through fourth grade for more than 10 cumulative school days during any academic term", and for grades five through 12 not "For more than 15 cumulative school days during any single semester; or" "For more than 10 cumulative school days during any single trimester." (WAC 392-400-435(2)) At the long end the gate is substantive as well as procedural: a district "may only administer a long-term suspension or expulsion" for the behavioral violations named in statute "and" "After the school district has determined that, if the student returned to school before completing a long-term suspension or expulsion, the student would pose an imminent danger to students or school personnel." (WAC 392-400-440(1)) Two further limits: "A long-term suspension or expulsion may not exceed the length of an academic term." and, for the youngest students, an outright bar — "Except for a violation of WAC 392-400-820, a school district may not administer a long-term suspension or expulsion for any student in kindergarten through fourth grade." (WAC 392-400-440(2)(a), (3))

Offices and appeal bodies in these sources

The route is district-internal but the clocks are the shortest in this layer, and it may be started without writing anything: "A student or the parents may appeal a suspension or expulsion to the school district superintendent or designee orally or in writing." A district may set a deadline, but "Appeal time limits must be no less than five school business days from the date the school district provides the written notice under WAC 392-400-455." (WAC 392-400-465(1), (2)) On a short-term suspension the superintendent "must deliver a written appeal decision to the student and parents in person, by mail, or by email within two school business days after receiving the appeal." (WAC 392-400-465(3)(b)) On a long-term suspension or expulsion the district "must hold an appeal hearing within three school business days from the date the superintendent or designee received the appeal request, unless otherwise agreed to by the student or parents", before a presiding official who "may not be involved in the student's behavioral violation or decision to suspend or expel the student". (WAC 392-400-465(4)(c), (d)) Beyond that sits a further step: "The student or parents may request that the school board or discipline appeal council, if established under WAC 392-400-475, review and reconsider the school district's appeal decision under WAC 392-400-465. The student or parents may request the review orally or in writing." — decided in writing "within ten school business days after receiving the request for review and reconsideration." (WAC 392-400-470(1), (4))
No state office, phone number, or email for parents appears in the sources reviewed. That absence is the finding.

Sources last checked

Aug 29, 2026

Reproduced from the state's own regulations quoted below: potentially relevant official sources, not a determination of which one governs any situation.

This page assembles what Washington publishes in its administrative code about K-12 school discipline. This is a baseline docket page: the governing chapter, the lines the state draws, and the decision-makers and appeal route, quoted with dates. The full sections (the framework route by route, the four hoisted process rows, every stated timeline, the district delegation map, and records access) follow as the discipline layer deepens behind its breadth sprint; the change log states exactly what is not yet captured. The chapter states duties before any exclusion is administered. A district "must consider the student's individual circumstances and the nature and circumstances of the behavioral violation to determine whether the suspension or expulsion, and the length of the exclusion, is warranted", must "Provide for early involvement of parents in efforts to support students in meeting behavioral expectations", and must "make every reasonable attempt to involve the student and parents in the resolution of behavioral violations." It must also "provide an opportunity for students to receive educational services during a suspension or expulsion under WAC 392-400-610", and the principal or designee "must report all suspensions and expulsions, and the behavioral violation that led to each suspension or expulsion, to the school district superintendent or designee within twenty-four hours after the administration of the suspension or expulsion." (WAC 392-400-430) The appeal hearing itself carries stated rights. During it the student and parents have the right to "Be represented by legal counsel;" "Question witnesses;" "Share the student's perspective and provide explanation regarding the behavioral violation; and" "Introduce relevant documentary, physical, or testimonial evidence." Records and evidence must be available in advance: on request the parties may inspect the evidence and witness list, and the district "must make the information available as soon as reasonably possible, but no later than the end of the school business day before the appeal hearing." The proceeding is on the record: "The appeal hearing must be recorded by analog, digital, or other type of recording device. The school district must provide the recording to the student or parents upon request." (WAC 392-400-465(4)(e), (f), (g)) One route is unusual enough to name. Before an appeal hearing on a long-term suspension or expulsion, "the student, parents, and school district may agree to hold a reengagement meeting and develop a reengagement plan under WAC 392-400-710", and may "mutually agree to postpone the appeal hearing while participating in the reengagement process." The notice of the appeal hearing must state "Whether the school district will offer to hold a reengagement meeting under WAC 392-400-710 before the appeal hearing." (WAC 392-400-465(4)(a)(vi), (b)) On schooling during an exclusion, the chapter states a floor and a cross-reference: "For students subject to expulsion or suspension for more than 10 consecutive school days, a school district must provide educational services in accordance with WAC 392-121-107." (WAC 392-400-610(5)) For a student with an IEP or Section 504 plan, the disability layer lives on this site's Washington special education page. Confirm applicability with the district and the agencies. All dates on this page are quoted from the sources, not a deadline calculation performed for you.