Bills of Interest

HB0065 K-12 public school discipline

Catch Title: K-12 public school discipline

Sponsor: Joint Education Interim Committee

Effective Date: Effective immediately upon completion of all acts necessary for a bill to become law

Bill URL: https://www.wyoleg.gov/Legislation/2026/HB0065

Overview

This bill substantively amends Wyoming’s statutes regarding school discipline by shifting the authority of school boards from permissive (“may”) to mandatory (“shall”) regarding the adoption of disciplinary rules. It establishes explicit authority for teachers and staff to manage classrooms, use reasonable force for safety, and remove disruptive students. Significantly, the bill grants teachers “veto power” over a student’s return to their classroom and mandates professional development and annual reporting of major disciplinary actions.

Key Provisions

  • Mandatory Disciplinary Policies: Every school board must adopt rules for reasonable punishment and disciplinary measures for misconduct, including insubordination and disobedience.
  • Electronic Device Enforcement: Rules must authorize employees to enforce policies regarding cellular phones, smartwatches, tablets, and other electronic devices.
  • Removal and Reasonable Force: Employees are authorized to remove violent, abusive, or disruptive students and may use “reasonable force” to prevent injury or ensure safety, provided such force complies with state seclusion and restraint rules.
  • Consultation Requirements: Principals must consult with the removing employee regarding consequences; if the final punishment differs from the employee’s recommendation, the district must provide written notice to that employee.
  • Teacher Consent for Return: A student removed from a classroom shall not be returned to that class without the written consent of the classroom teacher.
  • Professional Development: Districts must provide ongoing, high-quality, district-funded training on discipline, ensuring teachers and staff have input on its design.
  • Professional Immunity: Teachers acting in accordance with these policies are protected from internal professional disciplinary proceedings, reprimands, or adverse employment actions.
  • Parental Notification: Principals must provide written notice to parents/guardians and consult with them when imposing consequences.
  • Annual Reporting: Mandates a cycle for de-identified disciplinary reporting: schools to boards (June 15), boards to the Department of Education (July 15), and the Department to the Legislature (August 15).
  • Repeal of Corporal Punishment Immunity: Repeals W.S. 21-4-308(b), effectively removing previous specific immunities related to corporal discipline.

Implications

  • [Ambiguous: “Reasonable Force”] The bill authorizes “reasonable force” to ensure safety, but the lack of a statutory definition for this term—combined with the repeal of corporal discipline immunity—creates significant legal uncertainty for staff regarding the boundaries of physical intervention.
  • Rural Capacity Concerns: The mandate that removed students be placed in “alternative classrooms” or suspended until a teacher provides written consent for their return raises concerns for smaller or rural districts that may lack the staff or facilities to maintain indefinite alternative placements.
  • Unfunded Mandate: The professional development required by the bill is “district-funded,” meaning these costs must be absorbed by the existing block grant without additional state appropriations.
  • Civil Liability Ambiguity: While the bill protects teachers from internal professional discipline, it is an open question whether these protections extend to civil liability in the event of private lawsuits resulting from disciplinary actions.
  • Condensed Implementation Window: School districts must adopt these complex new policies by August 1, 2026. This tight timeline may hinder the meaningful teacher and staff input required for the design of professional development programs.
  • Standardized State Oversight: The new annual reporting requirements will provide the first de-identified, statewide data set on major disciplinary actions, potentially informing future legislative adjustments to the block grant or safety standards

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