Washington has enacted some of the most protective school discipline laws in the country. This section maps the key statutes, the OSPI rules that implement them, and the 2025 updates that changed what schools must do — so advocates, educators, and families know what the law actually requires.
RCW 28A.600.015 — Core Student Protections
Washington law guarantees four specific protections in every school discipline situation:
- Due process before long-term removal — Students and families must have an opportunity to be heard before a school imposes a long-term suspension or expulsion.
- Limits on discretionary discipline — Schools cannot use long-term suspension or expulsion as a first response to most behavioral issues. The law distinguishes between discretionary situations and serious safety situations, and tightly restricts the former.
- Emergency removals resolve within 10 days — If a school removes a student on an emergency basis, it must end the removal or convert it to a formal disciplinary action within 10 school days.
- Education continues during removal — Even when a student is removed from school, the district must continue providing access to educational services. The law explicitly prohibits suspending a student’s education.