Outline of the state of Ohio
State
Ohio
Comprehensive assurances of due process

Category
Disciplinary Due Process

Category
Disciplinary Due Process

State law provides comprehensive assurances of due process for students facing disciplinary action.

Ohio Revised Code 3313.66 Suspension expulsion or permanent exclusion - removal from curricular or extracurricular activities.

No pupil shall be issued an out-of-school suspension unless prior to the suspension the superintendent or principal does both of the following: (a) Gives the pupil written notice of the intention to suspend the pupil and the reasons for the intended suspension and, if the proposed suspension is based on a violation listed in division (A) of section 3313.662 of the Revised Code and if the pupil is sixteen years of age or older, includes in the notice a statement that the superintendent may seek to permanently exclude the pupil if the pupil is convicted of or adjudicated a delinquent child for that violation; (b) Provides the pupil an opportunity to appear at an informal hearing before the principal, assistant principal, superintendent, or superintendent’s designee and challenge the reason for the intended suspension or otherwise to explain the pupil’s actions. ... (6) No pupil shall be expelled under division (B)(1), (2), (3), (4), or (5) of this section unless, prior to the pupil’s expulsion, the superintendent does both of the following: (a) Gives the pupil and the pupil’s parent, guardian, or custodian written notice of the intention to expel the pupil; (b) Provides the pupil and the pupil’s parent, guardian, custodian, or representative an opportunity to appear in person before the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee to challenge the reasons for the intended expulsion or otherwise to explain the pupil’s actions. The notice required in this division shall include the reasons for the intended expulsion, notification of the opportunity of the pupil and the pupil’s parent, guardian, custodian, or representative to appear before the superintendent or the superintendent’s designee to challenge the reasons for the intended expulsion or otherwise to explain the pupil’s action, and notification of the time and place to appear. The time to appear shall not be earlier than three nor later than five school days after the notice is given, unless the superintendent grants an extension of time at the request of the pupil or the pupil’s parent, guardian, custodian, or representative. If an extension is granted after giving the original notice, the superintendent shall notify the pupil and the pupil’s parent, guardian, custodian, or representative of the new time and place to appear. If the proposed expulsion is based on a violation listed in division (A) of section 3313.662 of the Revised Code and if the pupil is sixteen years of age or older, the notice shall include a statement that the superintendent may seek to permanently exclude the pupil if the pupil is convicted of or adjudicated a delinquent child for that violation. (7) A superintendent of schools of a city, exempted village, or local school district shall initiate expulsion proceedings pursuant to this section with respect to any pupil who has committed an act warranting expulsion under the district’s policy regarding expulsion even if the pupil has withdrawn from school for any reason after the incident that gives rise to the hearing but prior to the hearing or decision to impose the expulsion. If, following the hearing, the pupil would have been expelled for a period of time had the pupil still been enrolled in the school, the expulsion shall be imposed for the same length of time as on a pupil who has not withdrawn from the school.

Policy Type
Statute

Ohio Revised Code 3313.661 Policy regarding suspension, expulsion, removal and permanent exclusion; community service.

(A) Subject to the limitations set forth in section 3313.668 of the Revised Code, the board of education of each city, exempted village, and local school district shall adopt a policy regarding suspension, expulsion, removal, and permanent exclusion that specifies the types of misconduct for which a pupil may be suspended, expelled, or removed. The types of misconduct may include misconduct by a pupil that occurs off of property owned or controlled by the district but that is connected to activities or incidents that have occurred on property owned or controlled by that district and misconduct by a pupil that, regardless of where it occurs, is directed at a district official or employee, or the property of such official or employee. The policy shall specify the reasons for which the superintendent of the district may reduce the expulsion requirement in division (B)(2) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code. If a board of education adopts a resolution pursuant to division (B)(3) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code, the policy shall define the term “knife capable of causing serious bodily injury” or “firearm,” as applicable, for purposes of expulsion under that resolution and shall specify any reasons for which the superintendent of the district may reduce any required expulsion period on a case-by-case basis. If a board of education adopts a resolution pursuant to division (B)(4) or (5) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code, the policy shall specify any reasons for which the superintendent of the district may reduce any required expulsion period on a case-by-case basis. The policy also shall set forth the acts listed in section 3313.662 of the Revised Code for which a pupil may be permanently excluded. The policy adopted under this division shall specify the date and manner by which a pupil or a pupil’s parent, guardian, or custodian may notify the board of the pupil’s, parent’s, guardian’s, or custodian’s intent to appeal an expulsion or suspension to the board or its designee pursuant to division (E) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code. In the case of any expulsion, the policy shall not specify a date that is less than fourteen days after the date of the notice provided to the pupil or the pupil’s parent, guardian, or custodian under division (D) of that section.

Policy Type
Statute