(A) The board of education of each city, exempted village, and local school district shall adopt a policy of zero tolerance for violent, disruptive, or inappropriate behavior and establish strategies to address such behavior that range from prevention to intervention. A policy adopted pursuant to this section shall comply with the requirements of sections 3313.668 and 3319.46 of the Revised Code. (B) Each of the big eight school districts, as defined in section 3314.02 of the Revised Code, shall establish under section 3313.533 of the Revised Code at least one alternative school to meet the educational needs of students with severe discipline problems, including, but not limited to, excessive disruption in the classroom and multiple suspensions or expulsions. Any other school district that attains after that date a significantly substandard graduation rate, as defined by the department of education, shall also establish such an alternative school under that section.

(A) (1) Except as provided under division (B)(2) of this section, and subject to section 3313.668 of the Revised Code, the superintendent of schools of a city, exempted village, or local school district, or the principal of a public school may suspend a pupil from school for not more than ten school days. The board of education of a city, exempted village, or local school district may adopt a policy granting assistant principals and other administrators the authority to suspend a pupil from school for a period of time as specified in the policy of the board of education, not to exceed ten school days. If at the time an out-of-school suspension is imposed there are fewer than ten school days remaining in the school year in which the incident that gives rise to the suspension takes place, the superintendent shall not apply any remaining part of the period of the suspension to the following school year. The superintendent may instead require the pupil to participate in a community service program or another alternative consequence for a number of hours equal to the remaining part of the period of the suspension. The pupil shall be required to begin the pupil’s community service or alternative consequence during the first full week day of summer break. Each school district, in its discretion, may develop an appropriate list of alternative consequences. In the event that a pupil fails to complete community service or the assigned alternative consequence, the school district may determine the next course of action, which shall not include requiring the pupil to serve the remaining time of the out-of-school suspension at the beginning of the following school year. 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. ... (B) (1) Except as provided under division (B)(2), (3), or (4) of this section, and subject to section 3313.668 of the Revised Code, the superintendent of schools of a city, exempted village, or local school district may expel a pupil from school for a period not to exceed the greater of eighty school days or the number of school days remaining in the semester or term in which the incident that gives rise to the expulsion takes place, unless the expulsion is extended pursuant to division (F) of this section. If at the time an expulsion is imposed there are fewer than eighty school days remaining in the school year in which the incident that gives rise to the expulsion takes place, the superintendent may apply any remaining part or all of the period of the expulsion to the following school year. ... (2) A pupil in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three may be removed pursuant to division (C)(1) of this section only for the remainder of the school day and shall be permitted to return to curricular and extracurricular activities on the school day following the day in which the student was removed. (a) A school district or school that returns a student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three to curricular and extracurricular activities on the next school day shall not be required to follow division (C)(3) of this section with regard to that student. (b) A school district shall not initiate a suspension or expulsion proceeding against a student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three who was removed from a curricular or extracurricular activity under division (C) of this section unless the student has committed an act described in division (B)(1)(a) or (b) of section 3313.668 of the Revised Code. ...

(A) On and after July 1, 2017, no school district or school shall suspend, expel, or remove a student from school under section 3313.66 of the Revised Code solely on the basis of the student’s absences from school without legitimate excuse. (B) (1) Except as described in division (B) of this section, no school district or school shall issue an out-of-school suspension or expulsion to a student in grades pre-kindergarten through three. (a) A school district or school may issue an out-of-school suspension or expulsion, in accordance with section 3313.66 of the Revised Code, to a student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three who has engaged in any of the behaviors described in divisions (B)(2) to (5) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code. (b) A school district or school may issue an out-of-school suspension not to exceed ten days or an expulsion to a student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three who has not engaged in any of the behaviors described in divisions (B)(2) to (5) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code only as necessary to protect the immediate health and safety of the student, the student’s fellow classmates, the classroom staff and teachers, or other school employees. (2) Whenever possible, the principal shall consult with a mental health professional under contract with the district or school prior to suspending or expelling a student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three. If the events leading up to suspension or expulsion indicate a need for additional mental health services, the student’s principal or the district’s mental health professional shall, in any manner that does not result in a financial burden to the school district or school, assist the student’s parent or guardian with locating providers or obtaining those services, including referral to an independent mental health professional. Nothing in this division shall be construed to limit the responsibilities of a school district or school with respect to the provision of special education and related services under Chapter 3323. of the Revised Code. (3) A student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three who is suspended or expelled shall be afforded the same notice and hearing, procedural, and educational opportunities as prescribed for a suspension or expulsion pursuant to section 3313.66 of the Revised Code. (4) Nothing in division (B) of this section shall be construed to limit the authority of a school district or school to issue an in-school suspension to a student in any of grades pre-kindergarten through three, provided that the in-school suspension is served in a supervised learning environment in accordance with divisions (A)(2) and (K)(2) of section 3313.66 of the Revised Code.