1. Except as otherwise provided in this section, a pupil who is suspended or expelled from:

(a) Any public school in this State pursuant to NRS 392.466; or

(b) Any school outside of this State for the commission of any act which, if committed within this State, would be a ground for suspension or expulsion from public school pursuant to NRS 392.466,

is ineligible to attend any public school in this State during the period of that suspension or expulsion.

2. A school district or a charter school, if the charter school offers the applicable program, may allow a pupil who is ineligible to attend a public school pursuant to this section to enroll in:

(a) An alternative program for the education of pupils at risk of dropping out of school provided pursuant to NRS 388.537;

(b) A program of independent study provided pursuant to NRS 389.155 for pupils who have been suspended or expelled from public school;

(c) A program of distance education provided pursuant to NRS 388.820 to 388.874, inclusive;

(d) Any program of instruction offered pursuant to the provisions of NRS 388.550; or

(e) A challenge school,

if the pupil qualifies for enrollment and is accepted for enrollment in accordance with the requirements of the applicable school or program. A school district or charter school may conduct an investigation of the background of any such pupil to determine if the educational needs of the pupil may be satisfied without undue disruption to the school or program. If an investigation is conducted, the board of trustees of the school district or the governing body of the charter school shall, based on the results of the investigation, determine if the pupil will be allowed to enroll in such a school or program.

3. The provisions of subsections 1 and 2 do not prohibit a pupil from enrolling in a charter school that is designed exclusively for the enrollment of pupils with disciplinary problems if the pupil is accepted for enrollment by the charter school pursuant to NRS 388A.453 or 388A.456. Upon request, the governing body of a charter school must be provided with access to the records of the pupil relating to the pupil’s suspension or expulsion in accordance with applicable federal and state law before the governing body makes a decision concerning the enrollment of the pupil.

(Added to NRS by 1993, 2306; A 1997, 2491; 2005, 1541; 2007, 1999; 2019, 1983)