III. Student Rights and Responsibilities

A. Student Rights

The BOCES is committed to safeguarding the rights given to all students under state and federal law. In addition, to promote a safe, healthy, orderly and civil school environment, all district students have the right to:

  1. Take part in all district activities on an equal basis regardless of race, color, creed, national origin, religion, gender or sexual orientation or disability.
  2. Present their version of the relevant events to school personnel authorized to impose a disciplinary penalty in connection with the imposition of the penalty.
  3. Access school rules and, when necessary, receive an explanation of those rules from school personnel.

B. Student Responsibilities

All students attending BOCES programs, or BOCES functions have the responsibility to:

  1. Contribute to maintaining a safe and orderly school environment that is conducive to learning and to show respect to other persons and to property.
  2. Be familiar with and abide by all district policies, rules and regulations dealing with student conduct.
  3. Attend school every day unless they are legally excused and be in class, on time and prepared to learn.
  4. Work to the best of their abilities in all academic and extracurricular pursuits and strive toward the highest level of achievement possible.
  5. React to direction given by teachers, administrators and other school personnel in a respectful, positive manner.
  6. Work to develop mechanisms to control their anger.
  7. Ask questions when they do not understand.
  8. Seek help in solving problems that might lead to referral for disciplinary action.
  9. Dress appropriately for school and school functions.
  10. Accept responsibility for their actions.
  11. Conduct themselves as representatives of the district when participating in or attending school-sponsored extracurricular events and to hold themselves to the highest standards of conduct, demeanor and sportsmanship.
  12. Students may find themselves in the unique situation of possessing information that could be potentially dangerous to themselves or others. They should report any and all situations or suspicions about harmful acts to their teachers or other BOCES personnel. All suspicions should be immediately reported.

8 NYCRR § 100.2(1)(2)(ii)(o)

Dutchess County BOCES: Code of Conduct
  1. Introduction
  2. Definitions
  3. Student Rights and Responsibilities
  4. Essential Partners
  5. Student Dress Code
  6. Prohibited Student Conduct
  7. Reporting Violations
  8. Discipline
  9. Alternative Instruction
  10. Discipline of Students with Disabilities
  11. Corporal Punishment
  12. Alternative Procedures
  13. Student Searches and Interrogations
  14. Visitors to the BOCES
  15. Public Conduct on BOCES Poroperty
  16. Dissemination and Review

Appendix A:
Interim Alternative Educational Settings

Appendix B:
Provision of Educational Services to Students with Disabilities Suspended or Removed

Appendix C:
CSE Responsibilities for Functional Behavioral Assessments and Behavioral Intervention Plans

Appendix D:
Procedures for Determining If a Student is a Student Presumed to Have a Disability for Discipline Purposes