This document provides guidance to districts developing and expanding alternative education programs.

Under s. 115.366, Stats., beginning in the 2000-2001 school year, school districts and consortia of school districts may apply to the state superintendent for an alternative education program grant as defined by the state superintendent. This chapter sets forth criteria and procedures for awarding alternative education program grants.

In this chapter: (1) "Alternative education program" means an instructional program, approved by the school board, that utilizes successful alternative or adaptive school structures and teaching techniques and that is incorporated into existing, traditional classrooms or regularly scheduled curricular programs or that is offered in place of regularly scheduled curricular programs. "Alternative educational program" does not include a private school or a home-based private educational program.

(63)  Mental health training program. Establish a mental health training support program under which the department provides training on all of the following evidence-based strategies related to addressing mental health issues in schools to school district staff and instructional staff of charter schools under s. 118.40 (2r) or (2x):

• (a) The screening, brief intervention, and referral to treatment program.
• (b) Trauma sensitive schools.
• (c) Youth mental health first aid.

(1) In this section, “teacher” means a person holding a license or permit issued by the state superintendent whose employment by a school district requires that he or she hold that license or permit. (2) Subject to 20 USC 1415 (k) and beginning August 1, 1999, a teacher may remove a pupil from the teacher’s class if the pupil violates the code of classroom conduct adopted under s. 120.13 (1) (a) or is dangerous, unruly or disruptive or exhibits behavior that interferes with the ability of the teacher to teach effectively, as specified in the code of classroom conduct. The teacher shall send the pupil to the school principal or his or her designee and notify the school principal or his or her designee immediately of the reasons for the removal. In addition, the teacher shall provide to the principal or his or her designee within 24 hours after the pupil’s removal from the class a written explanation of the reasons for the removal. (3)

• (a) The school principal or his or her designee shall place the pupil in one of the following:
• 1. An alternative education program, as defined in s. 115.28 (7) (e) 1.
• 2. Another class in the school or another appropriate place in the school, as determined by the school principal or his or her designee.
• 3. Another instructional setting.
• 4. The class from which the pupil was removed if, after weighing the interests of the removed pupil, the other pupils in the class and the teacher, the school principal or his or her designee determines that readmission to the class is the best or only alternative.
• (b) This subsection does not prohibit the teacher who removed the pupil from the class or the school board, school district administrator, school principal or their designees from disciplining the pupil.

The school board of a common or union high school district may do all things reasonable to promote the cause of education, including establishing, providing and improving school district programs, functions and activities for the benefit of pupils, and including all of the following: (1) School government rules; suspension; expulsion. (a) Make rules for the organization, gradation and government of the schools of the school district, including rules pertaining to conduct and dress of pupils in order to maintain good decorum and a favorable academic atmosphere, which shall take effect when approved by a majority of the school board and filed with the school district clerk. Subject to 20 USC 1415 (k), the school board shall adopt a code to govern pupils’ classroom conduct beginning in the 1999-2000 school year. The code shall be developed in consultation with a committee of school district residents that consists of parents, pupils, members of the school board, school administrators, teachers, pupil services professionals and other residents of the school district who are appointed to the committee by the school board. The code of classroom conduct may provide different Standard of conduct for different schools and may provide additional placement options under s. 118.164 (3). The code shall include all of the following:

1. A specification of what constitutes dangerous, disruptive or unruly behavior or behavior that interferes with the ability of the teacher to teach effectively under s. 118.164 (2).
2. Any grounds in addition to those under subd. 1. for the removal of a pupil from the class under s. 118.164 (2).
3. The procedures for determining the appropriate educational placement of a pupil who has been removed from the class and assigned a placement by the school principal or his or her designee under s. 118.164.
4. A procedure for notifying the parent or guardian of a minor pupil who has been removed from the class under s. 118.164 (2).