Current through Register Vol. 35, No. 21, November 5, 2024
Section 6.11.2.11 - DISCIPLINARY REMOVALS OF STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIESA. General. The following rules shall apply when a student with a disability under IDEA violates a rule of conduct as set forth in this rule which may result in: (1) long-term suspension or expulsion; or(2) any other disciplinary change of the student's current educational placement as specified in the federal regulations implementing IDEA at 34 CFR Secs. 300.530 through 300.536 and these or other department rules and standards.B. Manifestation determination. (1) For disciplinary removals of students with disabilities that exceed 10 consecutive school days or result in a disciplinary change of placement as defined by 34 CFR 300.536, the administrative authority must conduct a manifestation determination to determine whether the conduct was a manifestation of the child's disability pursuant to this Subsection.(2) Within 10 school days of any decision to change the placement of a child with a disability because of a violation of a rule of student conduct, the administrative authority, the parent, and relevant members of the child's IEP team (as determined by the parent and the administrative authority) must review all relevant information in the student's file, including the child's IEP, any teacher observations, and any relevant information provided by the parents to determine: (a) if the conduct in question was caused by or had a direct and substantial relationship to, the child's disability; or(b) if the conduct in question was the direct result of the administrative authority's failure to implement the IEP.(3) If the administrative authority, the parent, and relevant members of the child's IEP team determine the condition in either Subparagraph (a) or (b) of Paragraph (2) of Subsection B of 6.11.2.11 NMAC is met, the conduct must be determined to be a manifestation of the child's disability.C. Determination that behavior is a manifestation of disability. If the administrative authority, the parent, and relevant members of the IEP team determine the conduct was a manifestation of the child's disability, the IEP team must take immediate steps to comply with 34 CFR Sec. 300.530(f) and remedy any deficiencies.D. Determination that behavior is not a manifestation of disability. If the administrative authority, the parent, and relevant members of the IEP team determine the conduct was not a manifestation of the child's disability, school personnel may apply the relevant disciplinary procedures to a child with a disability in the same manner and for the same duration as the procedures would be applied to children without disabilities, except as provided in Subsection I of this section.E. Special circumstances. School personnel may remove a student to an interim alternative educational setting for not more than 45 school days without regard to whether the behavior is determined to be a manifestation of the child's disability, if the child's behavior involves one of the special circumstances listed in 34 CFR Sec. 300.530(g). For purposes of this subsection, the definitions provided in 34 CFR Sec. 300.530(i) shall apply.F. Determination of setting. The student's IEP team determines the interim alternative educational setting for service under Subsections D and E of this section.G. Change of placement because of disciplinary removals. For purposes of removals of a student with a disability from the child's current educational placement under 6.11.2.11 NMAC and 6.11.2.12 NMAC, a change of placement occurs if the conditions provided in 34 CFR Sec. 300.536 are met.H. Parental notification. On the date on which the decision is made to make a removal that constitutes a change of placement of a student with a disability because of a violation of a code of student conduct, the administrative authority must notify the parents of that decision, and provide the parents the procedural safeguards notice described in 34 CFR Sec. 300.504.I. Services. A student with a disability who is removed from the student's current placement for 10 school days in the same school year must continue to receive special education and related services as provided in 34 CFR Sec. 300.530(b) and 34 CFR Sec. 300.530(d).J. Appeal. (1) The parent of a student with a disability who disagrees with any decision regarding the placement or the manifestation determination under this section, or an administrative authority that believes that maintaining the current placement of the student is substantially likely to result in injury to the student or others, may appeal the decision by requesting a hearing. The hearing is requested by filing a complaint pursuant to Subsection I of 6.31.2.13 NMAC.(2) A hearing officer who hears a matter under Paragraph (1) of Subsection J of 6.11.2.11 NMAC, has the authority provided in 34 CFR Sec. 300.532(b).(3) When an appeal under this subsection has been made by the parent or the administrative authority, the student must remain in the interim alternative educational setting pending the decision of the hearing officer or until the expiration of the time period specified in Subsections D or E of this section, whichever occurs first, unless the parent and the administrative authority agree otherwise.N.M. Admin. Code § 6.11.2.11
08-15-97; 6.11.2.11 NMAC - Rn, 6 NMAC 1.4.11 & A, 11-30-00; A, 9-15-05; A, 6-29-07; A, 11-13-09, Adopted by New Mexico Register, Volume XXXI, Issue 16, August 25, 2020, eff. 8/25/2020