WASHINGTON — New limits on long-term school suspensions passed the Virginia House of Delegates Tuesday.
The bill would change the maximum length of standard long-term suspensions from 365 calendar days to 45 school days.
Last year, a similar proposal failed late in the session when the House and Senate failed to reach an agreement on the details of proposed changes.
This year’s bill, approved by the House 84-15, would allow long-term suspensions of 11 to 45 school days after written notice to a student and his or her parents informing them of their right to a hearing before the school board or superintendent.
Under the bill, the limits on the length of a suspension could still be extended to as long as 364 calendar days if the school board or superintendent finds “aggravating circumstances” or the suspension would be the student’s second long-term suspension in the same school year.
