Senate Bill 611 aims to enhance teachers' authority in managing classroom behavior and improve communication with parents regarding disruptive incidents. The bill explicitly grants teachers the power to maintain order, establish classroom rules, and take immediate action during emergencies or disruptive behaviors. It modifies the conditions under which a teacher can remove a pupil from class, allowing removal for a broader range of disruptive behaviors, including participation in violent incidents and repeated non-compliance with rules. Additionally, it mandates that school principals must follow the school board's policies on safety measures and behavior intervention plans before returning a removed pupil to class.

The bill also introduces requirements for parental notification regarding specific disruptive incidents, such as violence or chronic disruptions, and obligates school boards to adopt written policies on reasonable safety measures. Parents are granted the right to pursue a mandamus action against school boards for non-compliance with notification requirements or safety policies. Furthermore, the bill protects teachers from retaliation for enforcing classroom rules and requires school boards to notify teachers of these protections annually. It also allows teachers to terminate their contracts without penalty if they are victims of violence by a pupil while on school premises.

Statutes affected:
Bill Text: 118.164(title), 118.164, 118.164(2)