Teachers and support staff in Washington's 295 public school districts are operating under new rules about how to handle disruptive and out-of-control students, but some teachers say the new policies aren't enough to do their jobs.
The Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI) worked on the changes for the last year-and-a-half with the new rules officially implemented over the summer -- though they were put in place under emergency rules during the 2024-2025 school year.
Post COVID, student discipline became an increasing distraction for teachers, with many students acting out verbally and physically.
When in-person learning resumed, Washington's Superintendent of Public Instruction, Chris Reykdal, said educators were dealing with increased anxiety, shorter attention spans and other behavioral issues among students in all grade levels.
Reduced staffing exacerbated the problems.
The newly implemented rules are intended to provide more clarity for school staff and according to OSPI were made in response to feedback from educators.
Teachers now have clearer guidelines for removing a student who is repeatedly disruptive or a threat to themselves or others.
