(2) REQUIREMENTS.

• (a) Each local board of education shall adopt policies designed to improve the student learning environment by improving student behavior and discipline. These policies shall provide for the development of age appropriate student codes of conduct that contain the following, at a minimum:
• 1. Standard for student behavior during school hours, at school-related functions, on school buses, and at school bus stops designed to create the expectation that students will behave themselves in such a way so as to facilitate a learning environment for themselves and other students, respect each other and school district employees, obey student behavior policies adopted by the local board of education, and obey student behavior rules established by individual schools;
• 2. Verbal assault, including threatening violence, of teachers, administrators, and other school personnel;
• 3. Physical assault or battery of teachers, administrators or other school personnel;
• 4. Disrespectful conduct toward teachers, administrators, other school personnel, persons attending school related functions or other students, including use of vulgar or profane language;
• 5. Verbal assault of other students, including threatening violence or sexual harassment as defined pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972;
• 6. Sexual harassment as defined pursuant to Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972 or physical assault or battery of other students.
• 7. Guidelines and consequences resulting from failure to comply with compulsory attendance as required under O.C.G.A § 20-2-690.1;
• 8. Willful or malicious damage to real or personal property of the school or to personal property of any person legitimately at the school;
• 9. Inciting, advising, or counseling of others to engage in prohibited acts;
• 10. Marking, defacing or destroying school property or the property of another student;
• 11. Possession of a weapon, as provided for in O.C.G.A. § 16-11-127.1;
• 12. Unlawful use or possession of illegal drugs or alcohol;
• 13. Willful and persistent violation of student codes of conduct;
• 14. Bullying as defined in O.C.G.A. § 20-2-751.4;

(c) No later than January 1, 2011, the Department of Education shall develop a model policy regarding bullying, that may be revised from time to time, and shall post such policy on its website in order to assist local school systems. Such model policy shall include:

• (1) A statement prohibiting bullying;
• (2) A requirement that any teacher or other school employee who has reliable information that would lead a reasonable person to suspect that someone is a target of bullying shall immediately report it to the school principal;
• (3) A requirement that each school have a procedure for the school administration to promptly investigate in a timely manner and determine whether bullying has occurred;
• (4) An age-appropriate range of consequences for bullying which shall include, at minimum and without limitation, disciplinary action or counseling as appropriate under the circumstances;

(2) If a student is found to have engaged in physical acts of violence as defined by Code Section 20-2-751.6, the student shall be subject to the penalties set forth in such Code section. If a student is found to have engaged in bullying as defined by subsection (a) of Code Section 20-2-751.4 or in physical assault or battery of another person on the school bus, the local school board policy shall require a meeting of the parent or guardian of the student and appropriate school district officials to form a school bus behavior contract for the student. Such contract shall provide for progressive age-appropriate discipline, penalties, and restrictions for student misconduct on the bus. Contract provisions may include but shall not be not limited to assigned seating, ongoing parental involvement, and suspension from riding the bus. This subsection is not to be construed to limit the instances when a school code of conduct or local board of education may require use of a student bus behavior contract.