H.4646: The RAISE Act
Also known as An Act requiring accountability for inequities in suspension and expulsion, this bill was drafted to address in-school disciplinary action that is disproportionately experienced by students of color by requiring all schools to document and attempt alternative methods before suspending or expelling students while also introducing narrower parameters for both expulsion and suspension.
A portion of the RAISE Act was adopted in S.3097, the Addressing Barriers to Care Act (Mental Health ABC) and signed into law by the Governor. My amendment "Requiring Intermediary Steps before Exclusion" requires school administrators to employ and document alternative remedies before a student is suspended or expelled, and outlines support models administrators can use to re-engage students.
Facts & Figures
On January 4th, 2022, I had the pleasure of testifying in support of H.4138, the RAISE Act in front of the Joint Committee of Education.
The full hearing can be found here: https://malegislature.gov/Events/Hearings/Detail/4149