Student Conduct and Discipline
Maintaining order and discipline is essential to creating a safe and effective learning environment. General rules about student conduct are found in local school district policies and handbooks, while state and federal law creates a framework for student discipline decisions. The following are resources related to student conduct, drug and alcohol abuse, student discipline under Texas Education Code chapter 37, and gangs and violence.
Student Conduct
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Student Discipline/Chapter 37
Gangs and Violence
Student Conduct
Related Policies
Your local school board policy manual contains TASB's (LEGAL) reference policies and board-adopted (LOCAL) policies. Your district may also have relevant administrative regulations. For more information on student conduct, see district policy and regulations at the following codes:
| FFFD |
Bicycle/Automobile Use |
| FN |
Student Rights and Responsibilities |
| FNC |
Student Conduct |
| FNCA |
Dress Code |
| FNCB |
Care of School Property |
| FNCE |
Personal Telecommunications/Electronic Devices |
TASB Resources
- TASB Policy Service offers a Model Student Handbook, available online behind myTASB for members of Policy Service, which provides basic information on district policies and procedures for students and parents
Other Resources
- The First Amendment Center Clothing, Dress Codes and Uniforms Web Site provides information about the First Amendment ramifications of student dress code policies.
- TEA Office of Legal Services General Student FAQ’s answers frequently asked questions about dress codes and cell phones.
Drug and Alcohol Abuse
Related Policies
For more information on drug and alcohol abuse, see district policy and regulations at the following codes:
| FNCD |
Tobacco Use and Possession |
| FNCF |
Alcohol and Drug Use |
TASB Resources
Other Resources
- The Texas Education Agency (TEA) Safe and Drug-Free Schools and Communities Web Site provides policy guidance and links to related resources on alcohol, tobacco, drug abuse, violence, and health and safety.
- The U.S. Department of Education Office of Safe and Drug-Free Schools Web Site provides web courses, grants, and other programs and resources to address drug and alcohol abuse in schools.
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) Web Site National Clearinghouse for Alcohol and Drug Information provides a number of resources on alcohol and drug abuse, as well as tobacco use.
- The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) Back to School Web Site provides fact sheets, curricula, and other information geared toward students and teachers, written in both English and Spanish.
- The Texas Attorney General Texas Teen Page provides information for teenagers on a variety of topics, including gangs, assault, property crime, graffiti, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
- The Texas Juvenile Justice Department Web Site provides a searchable database of resources on the prevention of youth problems, such as substance abuse, delinquency, and violence.
- The U.S. stopalcoholabuse.gov Educators Web Site is a compilation of federal resources on underage drinking prevention intended for educators and communities.
- The U.S. DHHS SAMHSA Underage Drinking Web Site provides reports and statistics regarding underage drinking.
- The U.S. Surgeon General's Call to Action to Prevent and Reduce Underage Drinking provides statistics and tips for educators, parents, and communities to reduce underage drinking.
- The U.S. NIH National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) The Cool Spot Web Site provides young teens information about alcohol abuse.
- The U.S. NIH NIAAA Underage Drinking Research Initiative Web Site provides statistics, facts, and related resources on underage drinking.
- The U.S. Department of Justice Office of Community Oriented Policing (COPS) Underage Drinking guide provides information about the issue and suggested responses.
- The Office of National Drug Control Policy Anti-Drug Media Campaign Above the Influence Web Site provides information for youths about the dangers of substance abuse and resources aimed at substance abuse prevention.
- The U.S. Office of National Drug Control Policy Monitoring the Future Study blog Web Site provides facts, figures, and other resources related to drug use by students.exas Department of State Health Services (DSHS) Substance Abuse Services Web Site provides information about substance abuse, including fact sheets and tips for prevention.
- The U.S. NIH NIDA Parents & Teachers Web Site provides a number of resources that address the health effects and consequences of drug abuse, as well as teaching packets and other tools.
- The U.S. NIH NIDA The Facts About Marijuana Web Site provides information about marijuana abuse and treatment for teens and their parents.
- The U.S. NIH NIDA Inhalant Abuse Web Site provides facts and resources related to inhalant abuse.
- The U.S. NIH NIDA Club Drugs Web Site provides trends, facts, and other resources related to the abuse of club drugs, such as LSD, ecstasy, and methamphetamine.
- The DSHS Drugs and Medical Devices Group Controlled Substance Scheduling for 2012 details the types of drugs that may be considered controlled substances for purposes of determining applicable criminal penalties and appropriate student discipline.
- The DSHS Tobacco Prevention and Control Web Site provides information on the health effects of tobacco use, including information targeted at youths.
- The U.S. NIH NIDA Nicotine Addiction Web Site provides statistics and tools to prevent or reduce tobacco dependence.
Student Discipline/Chapter 37
Related Policies
For more information on student discipline and Chapter 37, see district policy and regulations at the following codes:
| FO |
Student Discipline |
| FOA |
Removal by Teacher |
| FOB |
Out-of-School Suspension |
| FOC |
Placement in a Disciplinary Alternative Education Setting |
| FOCA |
Disciplinary Alternative Education Program Operations |
| FOD |
Expulsion |
| FODA |
Juvenile Justice Alternative Education Program |
| FOE |
Emergency and Alternative Placement |
| FOF |
Students with Disabilities |
TASB Resources
- TASB Policy Service offers a Model Student Code of Conduct, available online behind myTASB for members of Policy Service, which provides a starting place for creating local school district codes for student discipline.
- TASB Legal Services' Chapter 37 Chart of Offenses and Consequences categorizes the types of offenses and state-mandated punishments based on Chapter 37 of the Texas Education Code.
- TASB Legal Services' article Student Discipline answers some of the most frequently asked questions about student discipline and related investigations.
- TASB Legal Services' A Guide to Student Discipline DVD, available for sale in the TASB Store, is a DVD training program for school officials on the requirements of Chapter 37 and local codes of conduct as well as related issues like searches and investigations.
- For information on bullying and harassment, including cyberbullying, see eSource at Students – Freedom from Abuse, Discrimination, and Bullying.
- For more information on discipline as it relates to safe schools, see eSource at Business – Safety and Emergency Management.
- TASB Legal Services' offers a free podcast providing an update of legislative changes to Chapter 37 as part of the Legal Briefs podcast series. TASB Policy Service's offers a free podcast answering frequently asked questions about the student code of conduct as part of the Policy in Practice podcast series. Both are available through the Online Learning Center.
Other Resources
- The Texas Education Agency (TEA) Chapter 37 – Safe Schools Web Site provides information on student discipline and links to discipline resources.
- The TEA Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs (DAEP) Web Site provides information on DAEP standards as well as implementing positive, proactive discipline.
- The TEA Discipline Data Products Web Site provides links to discipline reports, discipline action group summary reports, and assessment reports for students in disciplinary settings, available for the state, by region, and by district.
- The TEA Disciplinary Alternative Education Program Practices report, issued in 2007, provides an overview of DAEP best practices and includes DAEP statistics.
- The TEA Student Attendance Accounting Handbook details the attendance accounting rules that districts must follow when reporting to TEA, including those that relate to disciplinary placements.
- TEA Office of Legal Services General Student FAQ’s answers frequently asked questions about student discipline and corporal punishment.
- The TEA PEIMS Frequently Asked Questions Web Site answers questions about a number of topics addressed by Public Education Information Management System (PEIMS), such as student discipline.
- The TEA PEIMS Data Standards Appendix E: Additional Information Related to Discipline provides information on documentation and discipline action reasons for reporting purposes.
- The Texas School Safety Center Best Practices in Texas Disciplinary Alternative Education Programs provides data and recommendations resulting from a 2007 study.
- The Texas Attorney General School Crime and Discipline Handbook provides an overview of district responsibilities related to student crime, state disciplinary rules, relevant criminal laws, student search guidelines, and information on students taken into custody.
- The Texas Department of State Health Services Drugs and Medical Devices Group Controlled Substance Scheduling for 2012 details the types of drugs that may be considered controlled substances for purposes of determining applicable criminal penalties and appropriate student discipline.
- The Texas Juvenile Justice Department Web Site provides information about juvenile probation services, local juvenile boards, statistics, juvenile justice alternative education programs (JJAEP), and related resources. This agency includes the departments formerly known as the Texas Juvenile Probation Commission and the Texas Youth Commission (TYC).
- The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Substance Abuse & Mental Health Services Administration Seclusion and Restraint Web Site provides alternatives to the use of seclusion and restraint and related web resources.
- The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) Questions and Answers on Discipline Procedures Web Site provides guidance on addressing disciplinary infractions committed by students with disabilities receiving special education services.
- The U.S. DOE Guidance Concerning State and Local Responsibilities Under the Gun-Free Schools Act provides information about expulsion under the federal Gun-Free Schools Act.
Gangs and Violence
Related Policies
For more information on gangs and violence, see district policy and regulations at the following codes:
| FNCC |
Prohibited Organizations and Hazing |
| FNCG |
Weapons |
| FNCH |
Assaults |
| FNCI |
Disruptions |
TASB Resources
Other Resources
- The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Youth Violence Web Site provides information about youth violence, including risk factors, consequences, prevention strategies, and related resources.
- The U.S. CDC The Effectiveness of Universal School-Based Programs for the Prevention of Violent and Aggressive Behavior report, issued in 2007, provides recommendations on programs to prevent or reduce violent behavior.
- The U.S. Department of Education Guidance Concerning State and Local Responsibilities Under the Gun-Free Schools Act provides information about the application of the federal Gun-Free Schools Act.
- The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) Community Oriented Policing (COPS) Gangs Tool Kit provides information for educators, law enforcement, and parents to address crimes committed by gangs and related resources.
- The U.S. DOJ Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Anti-Gang Initiative provides facts about gangs, including a comprehensive anti-gang model, a gang reduction program, and related resources.
- The Texas Attorney General (AG) Gangs and Community Response Web Site provides educators, parents, and law enforcement facts about gangs and programs to reduce gang activity, such as graffiti.
- The San Antonio Police Department Youth Crime Services Unit Gang Awareness Handbook provides information for parents and teachers about gangs and recognizing gang membership.
- The U.S. DOJ Bureau of Justice Assistance G.R.E.A.T. Web Site provides information about a program conducted by law enforcement officers in elementary and middle schools to encourage gang resistance.
- The AG Texas Teen Page provides information for teenagers on a variety of topics, including gangs, assault, property crime, graffiti, alcohol, tobacco, and drugs.
- The Texas Juvenile Justice Department Web Site provides a searchable database of resources on the prevention of youth problems, such as gangs, delinquency, and violence.