Any District student who is a victim of a violent criminal offense, as defined in Education Law and Commissioner’s regulations, that occurred on the grounds of the District elementary or secondary school that the student attends, will be allowed to attend a safe public school within the District to the extent required by federal and state law and regulations.
In accordance with Commissioner’s regulations, a “safe public school shall mean a public school that has not been designated by the Commissioner of Education as a persistently dangerous public elementary or secondary school.”
Violent Criminal Offense
The Superintendent shall determine if the student has been the victim of a “violent criminal offense.” “Violent criminal offense” means a crime that:
a) Involves infliction of a serious physical injury upon another as defined in New York State Penal Law Section 10.00(10); or
b) A sex offense that involves forcible compulsion; or
c) Any other offense defined in New York State Penal Law Section 10.00(12) that involves the use or threatened use of a deadly weapon.
Serious Physical Injury
“Serious physical injury,” as defined in Penal Law Section 10.00(10), means a “physical injury which creates a substantial risk of death, or which causes death or serious and protracted disfigurement, protracted impairment of health or protracted loss or impairment of the function of any bodily organ.”
Deadly Weapon
“Deadly weapon,” as defined in Penal Law Section 10.00(12), means “any loaded weapon from which a shot, readily capable of producing death or other serious physical injury, may be discharged, or a switchblade knife, gravity knife, pilum ballistic knife, metal knuckle knife, dagger, billy, blackjack, or metal knuckles.”
Determination Whether Student is a Victim
Procedures will be established for determination by the Superintendent of whether a student is a victim of a violent criminal offense that occurred on school grounds of the school the student attends. The Superintendent will, prior to making any determination, consult with any law enforcement agency investigating the alleged violent criminal incident and consider any reports or records provided by the agency. However, a criminal conviction is not required prior to the Superintendent’s determination that a student has been a victim of a violent criminal offense.
The Superintendent’s determination may be appealed to the Board. However, this determination will not preclude any student disciplinary proceeding brought against the alleged victim or perpetrator of the violent criminal offense.
Notice to Parents/Persons in Parental Relation
The District will establish procedures for notification of parents of, or persons in parental relation to, students who are victims of violent criminal offenses of their right to transfer to a safe public school within the District and procedures for the transfer. This notice will be, to the extent practicable, provided in the dominant language or mode of communication used by the parents or persons in parental relation to the student. The District will notify the parents of, or persons in parental relation to, the student within 24 hours of the determination that the student has been the victim of a violent criminal offense on school grounds at the school he or she attends.
Written notice will be provided by personal delivery, express mail delivery, or equivalent means reasonably calculated to assure receipt of such notice within 24 hours of the determination at the last known address or addresses of the parents or persons in parental relation to the student. Where possible, notification will also be provided by telephone if the school has been provided with a telephone number(s) for the purpose of contacting parents or persons in parental relation.
Designation of Safe Public School
It is the responsibility of the District, based on objective criteria, to designate a safe public school or schools within the District to which students may transfer. Any student who transfers to a safe public school, in accordance with the provisions of this policy and applicable law and regulation, will be enrolled in the classes and other activities of the public school to which the student transfers in the same manner as all other students at the public school. The receiving school will be identified by the District and must be at the same grade level as the school from which the student is transferring. To the extent possible the District will allow transferring students to transfer to a school that is making adequate yearly progress and has not been identified as requiring school improvement, corrective action, or restructuring. The District will provide transportation for any student permitted to transfer to the safe public school within the District designated by the District within the transportation limits established in Education Law Sections 3635 and 4401(4). Any student who transfers to a safe public school will be permitted to remain in the safe public school until the student has completed the highest grade level in the school transferred to, or for such other period prescribed by the U.S. Department of Education, whichever is less.
While the parents or persons in parental relation to the student must be offered the opportunity to transfer their child, they may elect to have the child remain at the school he or she currently attends.
Education Law § 2802(7)
8 NYCRR § 120.5
Adopted as Policy 7580 Safe Public School Choice Option to Students who are Victims of a Violent Criminal Offense, Updated January 14, 2020 and entitled Safe Public School Choice