Sec. 1311g.

(1) A strict discipline academy may be located in all or part of an existing public school building. Except for a strict discipline academy that includes pupils who are the responsibility of a county juvenile agency, a strict discipline academy shall not operate at a site other than the single site requested for the configuration of grades that will use the site, as specified in the application required under section 1311d and in the contract.

(2) A strict discipline academy shall not charge tuition. Except as otherwise provided in subsection (6), a strict discipline academy shall not discriminate in its pupil admissions policies or practices on the basis of intellectual or athletic ability, measures of achievement or aptitude, status as a student with a disability, or any other basis that would be illegal if used by a school district. However, a strict discipline academy may limit admission to pupils who are within a particular range of age or grade level or on any other basis that would be legal if used by a school district.

(3) A strict discipline academy shall be established under sections 1311b to 1311m specifically for enrolling 1 or more of the following types of pupils:

(a) Pupils placed in the strict discipline academy by a court or by the department of health and human services or a county juvenile agency under the direction of a court.

(b) Pupils who have been expelled under section 1311(2).

(c) Pupils who have been expelled under section 1311a or another provision of this act.

(d) Other pupils who have been expelled from school, or pupils who have been suspended from school for a suspension that is for a period in excess of 10 school days, and who are referred to the strict discipline academy by that pupil's school or placed in the strict discipline academy by the pupil's parent or legal guardian.

(4) In addition to the types of pupils specified in subsection (3), a strict discipline academy shall be open for enrollment of a special education pupil who does not meet the requirements of subsection (3) if the special education pupil's individualized education program team recommends that the special education pupil be placed in the strict discipline academy. As used in this subsection, "individualized education program team" means that term as defined in section 614 of the individuals with disabilities education act, 20 USC 1414.

(5) In addition to the types of pupils specified in subsections (3) and (4), a strict discipline academy may enroll a pupil who is placed in a high-security or medium-security juvenile facility, mental health facility, or child caring institution that is operated by a private agency or a pupil who became a resident of this state as an unaccompanied or resettled minor under the care of the department of health and human services and who is less than 22 years of age as of September 1 of the current school year.

(6) A strict discipline academy shall enroll only 1 or more of the types of pupils described in subsections (3) to (5). A pupil who is enrolled in a strict discipline academy under subsections (3) to (5) may, at the option of his or her parent or legal guardian, continue to remain enrolled in the strict discipline academy after he or she ceases to meet the requirements for enrollment under subsections (3) to (5) as long as he or she meets the other applicable requirements for enrollment.

(7) A strict discipline academy is not required to keep any group of pupils described in subsections (3) to (5) physically separated from another group of those pupils, as might otherwise be required under section 1311, section 1311a, or another provision of this act.

(8) Strict discipline academies are not intended to enroll or otherwise be used to educate individuals who are committed to a high-security or medium-security juvenile facility operated by the department of health and human services or another state department or agency. Further, if the department of corrections or another state department or agency other than the department of health and human services has custody of or jurisdiction over a child, that state department or agency has the financial responsibility for educating the child.

(9) Except for a foreign exchange student who is not a United States citizen, a strict discipline academy shall not enroll a pupil who is not a resident of this state. Enrollment in the strict discipline academy may be open to all individuals who reside in this state who meet the admission policy under subsections (3) to (5) and shall be open to all pupils who reside within the geographic boundaries, if any, of the authorizing body as described in section 1311d who meet the admission policy under subsections (3) to (5), except that admission to a strict discipline academy authorized by the board of a community college to operate, or operated by the board of a community college, on the grounds of a federal military installation, as described in section 1311d, shall be open to all pupils who reside in the county in which the federal military installation is located who meet the admission policy under subsections (3) to (5). For a strict discipline academy authorized by a state public university, enrollment shall be open to all pupils who reside in this state who meet the admission policy under subsections (3) to (5). If there are more applications to enroll in the strict discipline academy than there are spaces available, pupils shall be selected to attend using a random selection process. However, a strict discipline academy may give enrollment priority to a sibling of a pupil enrolled in the strict discipline academy. A strict discipline academy shall allow any pupil who was enrolled in the strict discipline academy in the immediately preceding school year to enroll in the strict discipline academy in the appropriate grade unless the appropriate grade is not offered at that strict discipline academy.

(10) A strict discipline academy may include any grade up to grade 12 or any configuration of those grades, including kindergarten and early childhood education, as specified in its contract. The authorizing body may approve amendment of a contract with respect to ages of pupils or grades offered.

History: Add. 1999, Act 23, Imd. Eff. May 12, 1999 ;-- Am. 2005, Act 28, Imd. Eff. May 23, 2005 ;-- Am. 2007, Act 21, Imd. Eff. June 19, 2007 ;-- Am. 2008, Act 1, Imd. Eff. Jan. 11, 2008 ;-- Am. 2014, Act 256, Imd. Eff. June 30, 2014 ;-- Am. 2018, Act 42, Imd. Eff. Feb. 28, 2018 Popular Name: Act 451