Meta description: Learn what California Education Code 48900 covers, which student behaviors can lead to discipline, and how suspension and expulsion procedures work.
California Education Code Section 48900 sets out many of the grounds on which a public school student may be suspended or recommended for expulsion. The law covers conduct such as physical violence, certain drug or weapon offenses, theft, bullying, and some forms of harassment. It also limits when schools may use suspension and requires procedural protections. Understanding how Section 48900 works can help families and school staff distinguish the listed violations from the disciplinary steps that may follow.
What California Education Code Section 48900 Covers
Section 48900 identifies conduct for which a student may be suspended or recommended for expulsion from a California public school. It applies to students in kindergarten through grade 12, subject to specific age, grade, and legal limits elsewhere in the Education Code.
The section does not mean that every listed behavior automatically results in suspension or expulsion. School officials must consider the circumstances, follow applicable procedures, and comply with limits on particular forms of discipline. The statute also directs schools to use alternatives to suspension when appropriate.
Most listed conduct must be connected to school attendance or a school activity. The statute generally covers behavior occurring on school grounds, while going to or coming from school, during lunch, or at a school-sponsored activity. Some grounds have their own wording or conditions, so the exact facts and applicable subdivision matter.
Violations Listed in Section 48900
Section 48900 contains multiple grounds for discipline. The following summary is a plain-language overview, not a substitute for the statute’s precise wording.
- Physical injury or violence: Causing, attempting to cause, or threatening to cause physical injury to another person; willfully using force or violence, except in self-defense.
- Weapons and dangerous objects: Possessing, selling, or furnishing a firearm, knife, explosive, or other dangerous object, subject to statutory definitions and exceptions.
- Controlled substances and alcohol: Unlawfully possessing, using, selling, or furnishing certain controlled substances, alcoholic beverages, or intoxicants. Related provisions cover offering or arranging certain sales.
- Robbery, extortion, and property offenses: Committing or attempting robbery or extortion, damaging property, stealing property, or knowingly receiving stolen school or private property.
- Tobacco and drug paraphernalia: Possessing or using tobacco or nicotine products, or unlawfully possessing, offering, or arranging the sale of drug paraphernalia.
- Obscene conduct and profanity: Committing an obscene act or engaging in habitual profanity or vulgarity.
- Imitation firearms: Possessing an object that resembles a firearm in the way described by the statute.
- Sexual offenses and witness-related conduct: Committing or attempting specified sexual assault or battery, or harassing, threatening, or intimidating a witness.
- Hazing and bullying: Engaging in hazing or bullying, including certain bullying carried out electronically.
- Other specified conduct: The section also addresses certain prescription-drug sales and aiding or abetting the infliction of physical injury, with limits on the disciplinary consequences for some conduct.
Section 48900 also includes distinct grounds for sexual harassment, hate violence, harassment or intimidation, and threats of terrorism. These appear in related sections—48900.2, 48900.3, 48900.4, and 48900.7—and have their own definitions and conditions. A school’s notice or decision should identify the applicable ground rather than relying on a general label.
Bullying, Electronic Acts, and Harassment
Under Section 48900, bullying includes severe or pervasive physical or verbal conduct, including certain written or electronic communications, that has or can reasonably be predicted to have specified harmful effects on a student. The statute’s definition of an electronic act can cover communications made through devices or online services, but not every disagreement or unpleasant message meets the legal definition.
Related provisions address different conduct. Section 48900.2 concerns sexual harassment; Section 48900.3 concerns hate violence; and Section 48900.4 concerns harassment, threats, or intimidation directed at specified students or school personnel. Section 48900.7 addresses threats of terrorism against school officials, school property, or both. Schools must assess the facts under the relevant statutory language and district policy.
Limits on Suspension and Expulsion
A listed violation does not give a school unlimited discretion to impose any penalty. Section 48900.5 generally requires other means of correction to be attempted before suspension, unless the principal or superintendent determines that the student’s presence creates a danger to people or property, or threatens to disrupt the instructional process. The statute also allows suspension for a first offense in specified circumstances, including certain serious conduct.
California law places particularly strong limits on suspending students for “willful defiance”—disrupting school activities or otherwise willfully defying school personnel. State law prohibits suspensions for this ground in kindergarten through grade 12 through July 1, 2029, while preserving limited authority for a classroom teacher to remove a student under Section 48910. Because the rules and exceptions can depend on the setting and conduct, families should ask the school to identify the precise statutory basis for a proposed action.
Expulsion is generally reserved for more serious situations. Section 48915 requires a principal or superintendent to recommend expulsion for certain serious offenses unless particular circumstances make expulsion inappropriate. For other conduct, expulsion may be considered under the law but is not automatically required. Additional rules restrict expulsion for some offenses and set out procedures for making the decision.
Discipline may also be affected by a student’s disability. Federal law, including the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, and California law provide additional protections and procedures in disciplinary cases involving eligible students. A school must consider those requirements alongside Section 48900.
How Suspension Procedures Generally Work
For an out-of-school suspension, the school generally must provide the student an opportunity to explain their side of the incident. The student should be informed of the reason for the disciplinary action and the evidence supporting it. If an immediate suspension is necessary because of a clear and present danger, the school may act first and provide the required opportunity to respond as soon as practicable.
Parents or guardians must be notified of a suspension. The school should communicate the reason, the duration, and any relevant arrangements for schoolwork or a conference. District policies may set out additional steps, such as how to request a meeting or challenge an error in the record.
California law also provides for classroom teacher removal in certain circumstances under Section 48910. This is distinct from a schoolwide suspension: it concerns removal from the teacher’s class for the remainder of the day and the following day, subject to statutory requirements and exceptions. A teacher removal should not be confused with an expulsion or an extended suspension.
How Expulsion Procedures Generally Work
Expulsion is a more serious action than suspension because it removes a student from the district’s schools for a defined period, subject to applicable law and district arrangements. A student generally may not be expelled solely by an informal decision. The district must follow statutory procedures, which include notice of the hearing and an opportunity for the student and family to participate.
At an expulsion hearing, the student is entitled to procedural protections described in the Education Code. These can include the opportunity to present evidence, question witnesses, and be represented by an attorney or another adviser, subject to the statute. The governing board or an authorized hearing officer considers the evidence and makes a decision under the applicable legal standard.
When an expulsion is ordered, the district must address educational placement during the expulsion period as required by law. The decision may specify conditions for readmission, and the student or family may have rights to appeal. Deadlines can be short, so the written notice and district policy should be reviewed promptly.
What Families Can Do After a Discipline Notice
A clear record of what happened can help families understand whether the school applied the right rule and followed the required process. Practical steps include:
- Request the written basis. Ask which Education Code subdivision and district policy the school relied on, and request the notice and supporting records available to the family.
- Write down the timeline. Record when and where the incident occurred, who was present, what the student and staff said, and when the family was contacted.
- Preserve relevant information. Keep messages, screenshots, assignments, and other materials that may clarify the events. Ask promptly whether school records or video can be preserved, since retention periods may be limited.
- Ask about alternatives and services. Find out what other means of correction were considered, what schoolwork or instruction will be provided, and whether disability-related protections apply.
- Track all deadlines. Follow the deadlines in the notice and district rules for conferences, hearings, or appeals. Consider seeking qualified legal advice when expulsion or another serious consequence is involved.
Families should keep communications factual and in writing when possible. A request for records or a meeting does not necessarily pause a disciplinary deadline, so the notice’s instructions should be followed while questions are being raised.
How to Read a Section 48900 Notice
A disciplinary notice is more useful when it identifies the conduct, the applicable legal ground, and the proposed or imposed consequence. If the notice cites only “48900,” the family can ask which subdivision applies. For instance, a school may distinguish a bullying allegation under subdivision (r) from a harassment allegation under a related section, or a property offense from a threat or violence allegation.
The distinction matters because statutory grounds can have different elements, exceptions, and limits. A disagreement about what happened is also different from a disagreement about whether the conduct meets a legal definition. Asking the school to explain both the factual findings and the statutory basis can make the process clearer.
Official Sources and Further Information
The controlling text is California’s Education Code, not a summary article. Section 48900 and related provisions are available through the California Legislative Information website. Related sections include 48900.5 on other means of correction, 48910 on teacher classroom removal, and 48915 on expulsion recommendations and requirements.
District handbooks and board policies can explain local procedures, but they cannot override state or federal law. Since statutes and district rules can change, families should consult current official sources and obtain legal guidance for a specific disciplinary case.