A. All certificated school personnel who have direct contact with students on a regular basis shall complete training on or before December 1 of each year, by a method determined by each county board, in the skills required to:

• (1) Understand and respond to youth suicide risk;
• (2) Understand and respond to student mental health, student trauma, student safety and other topics related to student social and emotional well-being; and
• (3) Identify professional resources to help students in crisis.

B. The training required by § A of this regulation shall be:

• (1) Provided to certificated school personnel during an in-service program; or
• (2) A professional development requirement that may be met during time designated for professional development.

(a)  In general. -- On or before July 1, 2016, the Board shall require a certificate holder applying for renewal of a certificate as a school counselor to have obtained training in, by a method determined by the Board, the knowledge and skills required to understand and respond to the social, emotional, and personal development of students, including knowledge and skills relating to:

• (1) The recognition of indicators of mental illness and behavioral distress, including depression, trauma, violence, youth suicide, and substance abuse; and
• (2) The identification of professional resources to help students in crisis.

(b)  Training may exceed training required of other personnel. -- The training required under subsection (a) of this section shall be commensurate with the duties of a school counselor and may exceed the training required of other school personnel under § 6-122 of this title.

(c)  Regulations. -- The Board shall adopt regulations to implement the provisions of this section.

(a) "Restorative approaches" defined. --

• (1) In this section, "restorative approaches" means a relationship-focused student discipline model that:
• (i) Is preventive and proactive;
• (ii) Emphasizes building strong relationships and setting clear behavioral expectations that contribute to the well-being of the school community;
• (iii) In response to behavior that violates the clear behavioral expectations that contribute to the well-being of the school community, focuses on accountability for any harm done by the problem behavior; and
• (iv) Addresses ways to repair the relationships affected by the problem behavior with the voluntary participation of an individual who was harmed.
• (2) "Restorative approaches" may include:
• (i) Conflict resolution;
• (ii) Mediation;
• (iii) Peer mediation;
• (iv) Circle processes;
• (v) Restorative conferences;
• (vi) Social emotional learning;
• (vii) Trauma-informed care;
• (viii) Positive behavioral intervention supports; and
• (ix) Rehabilitation.

(b) Corporal punishment prohibited. -- Notwithstanding any bylaw, rule, or regulation made or approved by the State Board, a principal, vice principal, or other employee may not administer corporal punishment to discipline a student in a public school in the State.

(c) Standard of conduct; implementation. -- The State Board shall:

• (1) Establish guidelines that define a State code of discipline for all public schools with Standard of conduct and consequences for violations of the Standard;
• (2) On request, provide technical assistance and training to county boards regarding the use of restorative approaches; and
• (3) Assist each county board with the implementation of the guidelines.

(d) Regulations. --

• (1) Subject to the provisions of subsections (b) and (c) of this section, each county board shall adopt regulations designed to create and maintain within the schools under its jurisdiction the atmosphere of order and discipline necessary for effective learning.
• (2) The regulations adopted by a county board under this subsection:
• (i) Shall provide for educational and behavioral interventions, restorative approaches, counseling, and student and parent conferencing;
• (ii) Shall provide alternative programs, which may include in-school suspension, suspension, expulsion, or other disciplinary measures that are deemed appropriate; and
• (iii) Shall state that the primary purpose of any disciplinary measure is rehabilitative, restorative, and educational.

(e) Disaggregation of data. --

• (1) On or before October 1 each year, the Department shall submit to the Governor and, in accordance with § 2-1257 of the State Government Article, the General Assembly, a student discipline data report that includes a description of the uses of restorative approaches in the State and a review of disciplinary practices and policies in the State.
• (2) The Department shall disaggregate the information in any student discipline data report prepared by the Department by race, ethnicity, gender, disability status, eligibility for free or reduced price meals or an equivalent measure of socioeconomic status, English language proficiency, and type of discipline for:
• (i) The State;
• (ii) Each local school system; and
• (iii) Each public school.
• (3) Special education-related data in any report prepared under this subsection shall be disaggregated by race, ethnicity, and gender.

(f) Collection of data on alternative school discipline practices. --

• (1) In this subsection, "alternative school discipline practice" means a discipline practice used in a public school that is not an in-school suspension or an out-of-school suspension.
• (2) The Department shall collect data on alternative school discipline practices in public schools for each local school system, including:
• (i) The types of alternative school discipline practices that are used in a local school system; and
• (ii) The type of misconduct for which an alternative discipline practice is used.