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Gwinnett County Public Schools

Rights and Responsibilities

Responsibilities of GCPS Staff

GCPS staff members will work to create positive, effective, and equitable school environments for each and every student, staff member, and community partner. They will build positive relationships with students to help facilitate a sense of belonging and reduce the likelihood of inappropriate behaviors.

GCPS staff members will do the following:

  1. Establish clear expectations for appropriate behavior and take an overall empathic, instructional, and restorative approach to discipline;
  2. Acknowledge and/or reward positive behavior;
  3. Endeavor to eliminate discipline disproportionality and administer behavior responses consistently, progressively, fairly, and equitably;
  4. Involve parents, families, students, staff members, and community members in the process of establishing behavioral expectations for stakeholders;
  5. Ensure age and/or development are considered when responding to inappropriate behaviors;
  6. Ensure behavioral responses for students with disabilities meet federal and state requirements; and
  7. Remove students from the classroom only after several attempts at interventions to address behaviors and return students to class as soon as possible, except in cases of severe behavior, including behavior that poses a threat of serious physical, mental, or emotional harm to others.

Rights of Students

Students shall have the right to:

  1. Pursue a successful education in a learning environment that is emotionally, socially, and physically safe without disruption;
  2. Receive fair and equitable treatment;
  3. Be treated respectfully; and
  4. Be informed of their rights, responsibilities, discipline policies, and this Code of Conduct.

Responsibilities of Students

All students share with staff and community members the responsibility to develop a safe learning environment within the school. Students shall have the responsibility to:

  1. Attend school regularly, arrive on time, set academic and behavioral goals, and bring materials;
  2. Respect the personal, civil, and property rights of others;
  3. Put forth conscientious effort in and out of the classroom including homework;
  4. Groom and dress appropriately;
  5. Have knowledge of and conform to school rules, resolve conflicts peacefully and strive to be excellent digital citizens;
  6. Refrain from bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, sexual harassment, using indecent, obscene, racially insensitive, or foul language; and
  7. Report incidents or activities that may threaten or disrupt the school environment.

Rights of Parents/Guardians

Parents/Guardians shall have the right to:

  1. Receive regular official reports on their child’s academic progress;
  2. Receive an explanation for the basis of any grade given by the teacher;
  3. Request a conference with the teacher and/or principal;
  4. Receive a prompt report of their child’s attendance to class or school;
  5. Bring, or have GCPS provide, an interpreter during disciplinary conferences or tribunals, when a parent/guardian or student has limited English proficiency and the parent/guardian or student requests an interpreter or the school observes that a parent/guardian’s or student’s limited English proficiency would deny them an opportunity to meaningfully participate in the conference or tribunal; and
  6. Appeal disciplinary responses of suspensions of 10 days or more.

Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians

Parents/guardians shall have the responsibility to:

  1. Ensure that their children between the ages of 6 and 16 enroll in schools regularly, on time, and for the whole school day in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia;
  2. Enroll their child in a non-GCPS school or homeschool program if their child is expelled from GCPS;
  3. Speak, behave, and/or present to school officials any concern in a calm, respectful, and reasoned manner;
  4. Work with the school on academic, attendance, disciplinary, or other matters pertaining to their child;
  5. Plan the time and place for homework assignments and provide necessary supervision;
  6. Talk with their child about school activities and expected behavior;
  7. Know the expectations set forth in this Code and review them with their child; and
  8. Ensure that their child receives the periodic student health examinations that are required by law.

Rights of Victims in School-Related Offenses

     Any person victimized by a GCPS student’s violation of the Student Conduct Behavior Code may be called to testify to the facts of the incident as it relates to them if a student discipline tribunal is held. Furthermore, any victim of a crime committed by a member of the GCPS community has the right to pursue criminal charges through the proper authorities.