Suspended Or Expelled
Minn. Stat. 121A.46 — an informal conference before a suspension, and Minn. Stat. 121A.47 — no expulsion without a hearing
The informal conference. The school does not suspend a pupil without an informal administrative conference first, unless the pupil will create an immediate and substantial danger, in which case it is held as soon as practicable afterward. At it, an administrator tells the pupil the grounds and explains the evidence, and the pupil may present their version of the facts.
The written notice. A written notice with the grounds, a brief statement of facts, a description of the testimony, a readmission plan and a copy of the pupil fair dismissal sections is served on the pupil at or before the time the suspension takes effect, and mailed to the parent within 48 hours of the conference.
Schoolwork. A suspended pupil may complete all school work assigned during the suspension and receive full credit for it. Alternative education services are provided to a pupil suspended for more than five consecutive school days.
No expulsion without a hearing. No exclusion or expulsion is imposed without a hearing, unless the pupil and parent waive it in writing. The written notice states the facts, the witnesses and their testimony, the date, time and place of the hearing, and the right to a representative including legal counsel, to examine the pupil's records, to present evidence, and to confront and cross examine witnesses.
The hearing. It is scheduled within ten days of service of the notice, unless an extension of not more than five days is requested for good cause. It is closed unless the pupil or parent asks for it to be open, held before an independent hearing officer or the school board, recorded at district expense, with testimony under oath.
A district's own code of conduct and board rules fill in much of the detail, and they are not on this page. How a particular suspension applies to a particular student is a question for a licensed Minnesota attorney.
Sources for this section (2)
- Minn. Stat. 121A.46 — Suspension procedures
- Minn. Stat. 121A.47 — Exclusion and expulsion procedures
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Minnesota attorney.