ADMINISTRATIVE REGULATIONS REGARDING CONNECTICUT SCHOOL CLIMATE POLICY

The Hamden Board of Education (the “Board”) has adopted the Connecticut School Climate Policy in accordance with Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-222cc. The purpose of these Administrative Regulations Regarding Connecticut School Climate Policy is to outline additional requirements under Connecticut General Statutes Sections 10-222aa et seq. regarding the reporting of, assessment of, and responses to challenging behavior and bullying, as well as certain related requirements.

 

Definitions
“School Climate Specialist” means the principal of each school, or a school employee who holds professional certification pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-145, who is trained in school climate improvement or restorative practices, and is designated as the School Climate Specialist by the school principal.  The School Climate Specialist is responsible for (1) leading in the prevention, identification and response to challenging behavior, including, but not limited to, reports of alleged bullying and harassment, (2) implementing evidence and research-based interventions, including, but not limited to, restorative practices, (3) scheduling meetings for and leading the school climate committee, as described in  Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-222ff, and (4) leading the implementation of the school climate improvement plan, developed pursuant to Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-222hh.

 “School employee” means (1) a teacher, substitute teacher, administrator, school superintendent, school counselor, school psychologist, social worker, school nurse, physician, paraeducator or coach employed by the Board, or (2) any other individual who, in the performance of the individual’s duties, has regular contact with students and who provides services to or on behalf of students enrolled in a public school, pursuant to a contract with the Board.

“Challenging behavior” means behavior that negatively impacts school climate or interferes, or is at risk of interfering, with the learning or safety of a student or the safety of a school employee.

“Bullying” means unwanted and aggressive behavior among children in grades kindergarten to twelve, inclusive, that involves a real or perceived power imbalance. “Bullying” includes “cyberbullying”, which means any act of bullying through the use of the Internet, interactive and digital technologies, cellular mobile telephone or other mobile electronic devices or any other electronic communication.

“Challenging Behavior Reporting Form” (referenced as the “uniform bullying complaint form” in Connecticut General Statutes Section 10-222bb) means the form that accompanies the Connecticut School Climate Policy and is intended for students, parents or guardians of students enrolled in the school, and school employees to report alleged challenging behavior and/or alleged bullying incidents. Such form must be included on the Board’s web site and in each of the Board’s student handbooks, and the School Climate Committee must annually provide notice of such form to the school community.  

“Investigation Form” means the form that accompanies the Connecticut School Climate Policy and is to be completed by the School Climate Specialist within a reasonable amount of time after receiving a report of an alleged challenging behavior and/or alleged bullying incident.

 “Response Process(es) Notification Form” means the form that accompanies the Connecticut School Climate Policy and is to be completed and submitted by the School Climate Specialist to the student(s), parent(s) or guardian(s), and/or school employee(s) who submitted the Challenging Behavior Reporting Form within three (3) school days after an assessment has been finalized and submitted.

“Tiered responses” are responses to challenging behavior, based on level of impact or frequency of occurrence, that are designed to re-engage students who have become disengaged. Particular tiered responses are required when a student engages in behavior that (1) requires temporarily clearing a classroom or removing a majority of students within the classroom to reduce likelihood of injury, (2) indicates credible intention to cause bodily harm to self or others, or (3) results in an injury that requires medical attention beyond basic first aid, or less severe injuries caused by the same student on more than one occasion, verified by the school nurse or other medical professional. Such tiered responses must include, at a minimum, the responses described in Section V of these Administrative Regulations.

“Student discipline”, for purposes of these Administrative Regulations, means removal from the classroom, suspension, or expulsion, as authorized by the Board’s student discipline policy.

“Removal” means an exclusion from a classroom for all or part of a single class period, provided such exclusion shall not extend beyond ninety (90) minutes.

 

Reporting Challenging Behavior or Bullying
School employees shall notify the School Climate Specialist or designee of any alleged challenging behavior or alleged bullying incident that results in student discipline (i.e., removal from the classroom, suspension, or expulsion).
 

Students, parents or guardians of students enrolled in the school, and school employees (“Reporters”) may file a written report of any alleged challenging behavior or alleged bullying incident using the Challenging Behavior Reporting Form. Such reports may be filed with the building principal, program administrator, and/or the School Climate Specialist, and all reports shall be forwarded to the School Climate Specialist for review and actions consistent with these Administrative Regulations.
 

Reporters may complete the Challenging Behavior Reporting Form electronically or in hard copy, or they may meet with the School Climate Specialist for assistance in completing the Challenging Behavior Reporting Form.
 

Written reports of alleged challenging behavior and/or alleged bullying shall be reasonably specific as to the basis for the report, including the date and place of the alleged conduct, a description of what happened, and the names of potential witnesses.

 

Within three (3) school days, the School Climate Specialist or designee will provide the Reporter with confirmation of receipt of the Challenging Behavior Reporting Form.

 

Assessing Challenging Behavior and Bullying
The School Climate Specialist or other designated administrator shall assess the facts, severity, and intentionality of the alleged challenging behavior or alleged bullying incident in accordance with the following process:

·         The School Climate Specialist or other designated administrator shall review the information reported in the Challenging Behavior Reporting Form.

·         The School Climate Specialist or other designated administrator shall assess the factual basis of the report, as well as the severity and intentionality of any actions that may have occurred.

In conducting such assessment, the School Climate Specialist or other designated administrator shall:

·         Consult with individuals reasonably believed to have relevant information, including the Reporter, the individuals identified as having been affected by the behavior, and witnesses to the behavior, as appropriate;
 

·         Review any relevant materials (e.g., records, statements, documents, videos);
 

·         Consider whether the conduct also should be addressed pursuant to any other Board policies or District regulations, such as those related to protected class discrimination or harassment; and
 

·         Maintain confidentiality to the extent practicable throughout the assessment process, in accordance with state and federal law.

 

When conducting the assessment, the School Climate Specialist or other designated administrator shall complete the Investigation Form.

Within a reasonable amount of time, the School Climate Specialist or other designated administrator will determine what responses, if any, should be or have already been taken to address the behavior and/or prevent future instances of such behavior.

Within three (3) school days after an assessment has been completed, the School Climate Specialist or other designated administrator shall (a) complete the Response Process(es) Notification Form, describing the steps taken to address and prevent future instances of challenging behavior or bullying and keeping in mind the District’s obligations regarding student confidentiality, and (b) provide the Response Process(es) Notification Form to the Reporter who completed the Challenging Behavior Reporting Form.

 

Challenging Behavior or Bullying That Results in Student Discipline

Removal from class

If a teacher removes a student from the classroom because the student has deliberately caused a serious disruption of the educational process, the teacher shall: (1) send the student to the student support room, or other area specified by a building administrator; and (2) immediately inform the building principal or designee of the name of the student who was removed and the reason for the removal.

While the student has been removed to a designated area, the student may receive supports that include, but are not limited to: intervention from a school employee trained to provide such intervention, therapeutic resources, available mental health supports, instructional materials and technology or other resources to address the temporary needs of such student.

The parents or guardian of any minor student removed from class shall be given notice of such disciplinary action within twenty-four (24) hours of the time of the institution of such removal from class. Additional procedures governing behavior that causes a serious disruption; self-harm; and/or physical harm to teacher, another student, or other school employee shall be implemented in accordance with applicable law. Specifically:

·         The notice shall include, but not be limited to, informing such parent or guardian that the teacher of record in the classroom in which such behavior occurred may request a behavior intervention meeting.

·         If the teacher of record in the classroom ultimately requests a behavior intervention meeting with the crisis intervention team for the school, the parent or guardian must be notified that such meeting will occur.

·         If a behavior intervention meeting occurs, the crisis intervention team shall, not later than seven (7) days after the behavior intervention meeting, provide to the parent or guardian of such student, in the dominant language of such parent or guardian, a written summary of such meeting, including, but not limited to, the resources and supports identified.

 

Discipline

The District shall address incidents of challenging behavior or bullying that violate the Board’s Student Discipline policy in accordance with such policy and any school rules, student handbook, or code of conduct provisions regarding same. Disciplinary action may be necessary for violations of other applicable Board policies or District regulations, such as those related to protected class discrimination or harassment and/or Title IX.

Challenging Behavior or Bullying That Requires Temporarily Clearing a Classroom or Students, a Credible Intention to Cause Bodily Harm, or Results in Certain Levels of Injury – Tiered Responses

The school shall implement tiered responses, based on level of impact or frequency of occurrence, to incidents of challenging behavior or bullying that:

·         Require temporarily clearing a classroom or removing a majority of students within the classroom to reduce likelihood of injury;

·         Indicate credible intention to cause bodily harm to self or others; or

·         Result in an injury that requires medical attention beyond basic first aid, or less severe injuries caused by the same student on more than one occasion, verified by the school nurse or other medical professional.

Such tiered responses shall include, but need not be limited to, the following:

·         For a single incident, the school principal shall notify the parents or guardians of each student involved in such incident in a manner that complies with the requirements of the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (“FERPA”) and relevant Board policy.

·         For a subsequent incident, the school principal shall invite the parents or guardians of each student involved in such incident to a meeting, either in person at the school or virtually, to discuss the specific supports or interventions that are applicable to such student, including, but not limited to, restorative practices.

·         For multiple subsequent incidents or a single incident that causes severe harm, the school principal shall provide notice to the parents or guardians of each student involved in such incident of other resources for supports and interventions, including, but not limited to, the 2-1-1 Infoline program, services or programs available through the Behavioral Health Partnership, or other resources for professional services, support, or crisis intervention.

 

For incidents of challenging behavior or bullying that are subject to tiered responses pursuant to this section:

·         Not later than two school days after the date such incident occurred, there shall be a meeting between an administrator and the school employee (if any) who witnessed such incident. The purpose of the meeting shall be to determine the supports and interventions required to address the needs of students and school employees, provided the supports and interventions for any student who receives special education shall be determined by the planning and placement team (“PPT”) for such student, and notice of such incident shall be submitted to the PPT not later than two school days after the date such incident occurred for consideration at a PPT to be scheduled in accordance with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. For a student who is eligible under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”), notice of the incident shall also be provided to the student’s Section 504 team.

Any teacher of record in the classroom may request a behavior intervention meeting with the crisis intervention team for the school. Such request should be submitted to the building principal.  

The District prohibits discrimination or retaliation against any person who reports or assists in the investigation of an incident of challenging behavior or bullying that is subject to a tiered response.

 

Students with Disabilities
The school shall ensure that any supports, services, or interventions provided in accordance with these regulations to any student who receives special education or accommodation for a disability comply such student's individualized education program or Section 504 plan and applicable law.

 

Reports to Board of Education
The Superintendent of Schools shall submit, at least annually, to the Board a report concerning:
 

·         the number of incidents of challenging behavior or bullying that require temporarily clearing a classroom of students, a credible intention to cause bodily harm, or result in certain levels of injury, as described in Section V of these regulations, that occurred during the prior year;
 

·         the grade level of each student involved in such incidents; and
 

·         the supports, services, or interventions provided in response to such incidents to address the needs of students and school employees.

Such report shall be produced in a manner that does not result in the disclosure of data identifiable to individual students in accordance with FERPA and the Connecticut State Department of Education’s data suppression guidelines.

 

Legal References:

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222aa

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222bb

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222cc

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222dd

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222ee

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222ff

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222gg

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222hh

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-222ii

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-233a

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-233b

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-233c

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-233d

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-233e

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 10-236c

 

		HAMDEN PUBLIC SCHOOLS
Regulations approved:	May 13, 2025	Hamden, Connecticut