NYCDOE Discipline Code

The New York City Department of Education is committed to ensuring that our schools are safe, secure and orderly environments in which teaching and learning take place each day. Safe, supportive school environments depend on students, staff and parents demonstrating mutual respect.

In accordance with state law, the NYCDOE created The Citywide Standards of Intervention and Discipline Measures Guide, as a tool to foster mutual respect between all members of the school community.

All members of the school community-students, staff and parents-must know and understand the standards of behavior which all students are expected to live up to and the consequences if these standards are not met.  The Citywide Standards of Intervention and Discipline Measures Guide (the Discipline Code) provides a comprehensive description of unacceptable behavior, including incidents involving drugs or weapons .  It includes the range of permissible disciplinary and intervention measures which may be used when students engage in such behaviors as well as a range of guidance interventions school may use to address student behavior.  The discipline code applies to all students, including those with disabilities.

In providing a range of permissible disciplinary measures, the Discipline Code ensures both consistency and equitable treatment for all students and enables a principal and the Chief Executive Officer of the Office of School and Youth Development or other designee of the Chancellor or Community Superintendent to exercise discretion and educational judgement.  Principals, teachers, school staff, students, and parents need to know the disciplinary measures that can be taken when a student misbehaves or substantially disrupts a classroom.  Guidance interventions are included because inappropriate behavior or violations of the Discipline Code may be symptomatic of more serious problems that students are experiencing.  It is, therefore, important that school personnel be sensitive to issues that may influence the behavior of students and respond in a manner that is most supportive of their needs.

The standards set forth in the Discipline Code apply to behavior in school during school hours, before and after school, while on school property, while traveling on vehicles funded by the Department of Education, at all school-sponsored events and on other-than-school property when such behavior can be documented to negatively affect the educational process or to endanger the health, safety, morals, or welfare of the school community.  When misbehavior involves communication, gestures, or expressive behavior, the infraction applies to oral, written, or electronic communications, including but not limited to texting, e-mailing, and social networking.

School officials are responsible for sharing the information contained in this document with students, staff and parents. All students receive a copy of the disciplinary code.  Parents and guardians may receive a copy of the code by contacting jmanola@schools.nyc.gov.